CBS: To ‘Reduce Costs,’ Medicare Paying Doctors to Have End-of-Life Discussions with Patients

NAIR: “There is a new proposal this morning to enhance end-of-life for people on Medicare. The federal program insures 55 million Americans; about 80 percent of this each year come from that group. Major Garrett is at the White House with the plan that would pay doctors for having end-of-life discussions with their patients. Major, good morning.”
GARRETT: “Good morning. This move follows into the politically toxic category of so-called death panels; the idea that if Medicare reimburse for end-of-life discussions, pressure to keep government healthcare cost down, could lead bureaucrats to make some of those decisions or interfere into decision making process. Of course Washington and Oregon have gone far beyond this allowing physician assisted suicide for terminally ill patients. In this case, starting in January, all of these end-of-life discussions will be voluntary. The goal according to the government is to make these traumatic decisions easier to cope with and reduce costs by giving individuals and families time to plan ahead on questions of drug therapy, hospice options and using extraordinary means to keep their loved one alive. The American Medical Association praised the move, even so the administration is giving it a new name. Medicare will not reimburse for end-of-life discussions. Instead, it will reimburse for advanced care planning."
NAIR: “All right, Major. Thank you so much.”