RIP "Death Panels"

You may remember the term "death panels" from political debates a handful of years ago. There was a provision in the Affordable Care Act that called for Medicare to reimburse doctors for talking to their patients about end-of-life issues, from advanced directives to palliative care. This would be great! But it was excised from the ACA because of politics and fear-based tactics.

The good news is, there is a new report out by the Institute of Medicine and they are working to change this view, and the structure of payment so that these important end-of-life discussions may be covered by Medicare and private health insurance companies.

"A substantial body of evidence shows that broad improvements to end-of-life care are within reach. In "Dying in America", a consensus report from the Institute of Medicine (IOM), a committee of experts finds that improving the quality and availability of medical and social services for patients and their families could not only enhance quality of life through the end of life, but may also contribute to a more sustainable care system."

Read more here:
Full Article
IMO Report Brief