Reply #36: "And they really get greedy in the last two months of life."

[MrMickeysMom]

"They" sure do. Our glorious 3rd party reimbursement for the most expensive (ICU after ER entry) will see the profit motive through reimbursed "high tech" survival devices.... and other fee for service testing, but don't take too long to die once you're in the ICU, now, okay?

You get to see a lot of this if you work in that end. However, if the patient "survives" this phase (thus, making end of life care shift to yet another area that is NOT as expensive, then :sarcasm: damn you!) because then we'll have to move you out to a "subacute unit" where we can keep you alive and (ahem) comfortable, until the money starts going away. This explains why more and more subactue units are going away. Just closed down the one I've been working in (because they didn't know how to correctly get the "payers" to mix, too many Medicaid and Medicare part A days are so limited). Those private insurers just wouldn't commit.

So, remember now people, you've gotta do your part as critically ill patients! Be sure and die in the high tech/high touch end to save our glorious health insurance industry!