The Journal of Palliative Medicine reports that terminally ill patients “more than doubled their use of hospice care” when they had insurance that paid for extensive hospice care.
This was especially true, according to an Aetna study when insurance benefits were expanded (read: “when insurance companies actually coughed up more for hospice services”) and lots of informed nurse case managers were made available to patients and their families to answer questions and provide counseling.
Yup, that’s what Aetna found: a 70 percent increase in use of hospice services by dying patients if insurance companies — the same ones which demand our money every month — actually did something sensible like help pay for hospice care and provide good case managers.
Now let’s see if insurance companies follow through, and put their money where their research is….
You are pointing out something that is so pertinent and valid, not just with hopsice research, but so many other aspects of health care. While there is solid research which provides the evidence for actions, the insurance companies, the hospitals, health professionals, ignore it, to boost the bottom line.
Your blog is so great; it’s the one I read every morning. Thanks for doing this from all of the many out here who appreciate the hard work and fine comnents.
Judy, so true. The statistics on money saved in the long run is well documented by CMS and Medicare. Aside from that, the public should know, most hospices will take patients that are “non funded” . The not for profits are more likely to to do this.
Keep up the good work!!!
Insurance companies are slow to realize the savings with good palliative and hospice care. Now…if we could just get them to quit putting a time limit on the benefit. I won’t name the company, but I have had experience with one that allows hospice care “for 30 days.”….Ok, so what do we do if they outlive their 30 day window? Things like this is what keeps me up at night! Actually as the Hospice and Palliative Nurse Association Ambassador for the state of Tennessee, these are the things I work on legislatively (in my spare time