Comments on: Should We Spend Less on End-of-Life Care?

By: Michael Kirsch, M.D.

Michael Kirsch, M.D. — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 19:09:12 +0000

Regarding you inquiry, ‘Should we spend less on End-of-Life Care?, it depends upon whose money you’re spending? If patients and families had some real skin in the game, the end of life path would be quite different. There would be fewer ventilators and heroics and much more comfort care. http://www.MDWhistleblower.blogspot.com

By: Neil H.

Neil H. — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 18:04:38 +0000

The answer to your lead question is: yes.

By: Vicki

Vicki — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 14:05:45 +0000

These are very difficult decisions. But they should be made by families, not impersonal bureaucracies.

By: John Goodman

John Goodman — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 13:21:13 +0000

Medicare spends about 30% of its budget on patients in the last year of life.