Comments on: A Better Way to Die

By: Hospice Los Angeles

Hospice Los Angeles — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 05:02:52 +0000

You made some good points there. I think most people will agree, I’m going to look into this some more - thanks! Thanks for the info. A good find. Your article was very interesting. Thank You.

By: cvb

cvb — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 17:07:36 +0000

WHILE YOUR AT IT, CAN YOU WRITE SOMETHING ON HEALTHCARE REFORM AND THE DEATH-DYING PARAT OF IT. IS WHAT YOU ARE SAYING HERE COVERED IN IT?

By: thinkoobfan

thinkoobfan — Wed, 20 May 2009 18:44:34 +0000

can you write something on the CAFE standards? It’s time for a new posting anywqy

By: Thaddeus M. Pope

Thaddeus M. Pope — Sun, 17 May 2009 16:50:04 +0000

I would suggest one modification. Instead of “Pay for less, and you’ll get less,” write Pay for less, and you’ll get MORE.”

By: Thaddeus M. Pope

Thaddeus M. Pope — Sun, 17 May 2009 15:03:45 +0000

Great post. I focus a good deal on the relatively few cases where patients really do want aggressive end-of-life care contrary to provider recommendations.

It is good to be reminded that patients and surrogates are not the cause of suffering and high costs nearly as much as providers are (given current incentives).

To some extent, we do not even need NEW tools and incentives. For example, advance directives are decades old. But they are not completed, not located, not clearly written, not understood, and not followed even when understood.

By: eyechart

eyechart — Sun, 17 May 2009 14:48:36 +0000

There’s no hate mail because religious people can still prolong life. this proposal doesnt’ take that right away. It is hard to argue with something that doesn’t take away something else.

By: alewis

alewis — Sat, 16 May 2009 10:48:03 +0000

Montel’s idea for a tax on unhealthy food is a great one in theory but the devil is in the details. Health care could appear in a THesaurus next to “law of unintended consequences.” Among other things, the tax would be very regressive. You’d have to offset it with subsidies for other kinds of food. Also there is much debate over what constitutes healthy food and the definiton changes over time. Dark chocolate and eggs used to be no-nos and are now considered good for you.

By: doodler

doodler — Fri, 15 May 2009 21:00:43 +0000

I heard you on the radio too. I didn’t get what disease management is and what it has to be with the single-payor system and you never said whether you thought Montel’s idea for a tax on unhealthy food was a goodf idea. Can you cooment?

By: toby

toby — Thu, 14 May 2009 23:37:56 +0000

My grandmother died recently. She had a living will but no one could find it and was resuscitated twice. If this had been the law that would not have happened

By: califnursenancy

califnursenancy — Thu, 14 May 2009 15:29:19 +0000

I will not be voting for her next time she runs for president of our association. she made all Calif. nurses look like selfish whiners. you and Montel were rather respectful under the circumstances