There are some major barriers to receiving hospice care when dealing with Medicare, and this can have a huge impact upon the final weeks of a patient's life.
For example, many Medicare recipients are not allowed to have simultaneous hospice and skilled nursing care.
This can create a big problem and can lead to terminally ill patients being placed within a hospital setting where they receive intensive care that will not benefit them.
Not only can this be against the wishes of those patients that wish to just pass away naturally and peacefully, it is also extremely expensive for their families.
Hospitals are expensive and as you know, for some people they just cannot help improve their situations.
This is something that many people would wish to avoid.
Hospice care is an extremely important part of the aging process within some people's minds.
This is considered a dignified way to pass away for many people without having to have the inevitable prolonged by hospital care that will do very little if anything toward improving their health.
As more and more people get older, it is inevitable that the demand for hospice care will increase over the next few decades.
With barriers to receiving this care put in place by Medicare, there will only be unhappiness created for many elderly folks.
The big problem is that there are often a whole lot of unwanted treatment plans put in place.
This is especially true for people suffering from dementia.
This should stress the importance of having a living will created before dementia becomes an overwhelming issue.
A living will can help a person outline the types of care that they do and do not wish to receive as their health levels begin to deteriorate.
At the very least, a knowledgeable power of attorney should be appointed.
A person with power of attorney can make healthcare decisions for the patient in the event that they are unable to make the decisions themselves.
This can be very valuable to the person receiving care and can make sure that the care that they wished to receive is actually being followed through upon.
If you are thinking of appointing a power of attorney, make sure that you have these discussions as soon as possible.
Hospice is important and is an option that should not be taken away from people.
Hopefully Medicare will make the adjustments necessary in order to help more people incorporate this form of treatment into their last days.
Hospice care is a lot cheaper than a hospital visit, and if Medicare were to acknowledge this fact, they could probably save a lot of taxpayers' dollars.
This would create a win-win situation for everyone.