Medicare to cover end-of-life counseling

Medicare, the federal program that insures 55 million older and disabled Americans, announced plans on Wednesday to reimburse doctors for conversations with patients about whether and how they would want to be kept alive if they became too sick to speak for themselves (Source: “Medicare Plans to Pay Doctors for Counseling on End of Life,” New York Times, July 8, 2015).  Interested parties have 60 days to give Medicare feedback on the proposal; the rule would go into effect on Jan. 1, 2016.

Because Medicare often sets the standard for private insurers as well, the new policy would prompt many more doctors to engage patients in such discussions about their preferences. Some private health insurance companies have recently begun covering such advance care planning conversations, and more are likely to do so once Medicare formally adopts its new rules.

Philip Cass, the CEO of the Columbus Medical Association, said physicians feel they should counsel patients, and he thinks they can do it well. “The time that needs to be spent on end-of-life counseling is worthy and should be paid for,” Cass said (Source: “Ohio physicians welcome Medicare paying for end-of-life counseling,” Columbus Dispatch, July 10, 2015).