Madeline SchwartzSOME HELPFUL INFORMATION ABOUT HEALTH CARE
August 17th 2010 01:16
Your Discharge Planning Checklist
A checklist for patients and their caregivers who are getting ready to leave a hospital, nursing home, or other health care setting. Includes a list of contact information for Area Agencies on Aging, State Health Insurance Assistance Programs and long-term care offices. This link opens a PDF document.
Really Long Link
----------------------------- ----------------------------- ----------------------------- --
Private Health Insurance Update: Choosing a Medigap Policy - A Guide to Health Insurance for People with Medicare
Explains Medigap (Medicare Supplemental Insurance) policies, what they cover and how to purchase them. Also available in Spanish. This link opens a PDF document.
Really Long Link
----------------------------- ----------------------------- ----------------------------- -------------------
End-of-Life Counseling Bill Signed by Governor
NEWS FROM
Assembly Health Committee Chair
Richard N. Gottfried
822 Legislative Office Building, Albany, NY 12248 - Tel: 518-455-4941
250 Broadway, #2232, New York, NY 10007 - Tel: 212-312-1492
GottfrR@assembly.state.ny.us
"So many patients go through their last days or weeks of life without knowing, understanding, or thinking through their care options," said Assembly Health Committee chair Richard N. Gottfried, sponsor of the bill. "Some patients want aggressive care to the end, and some would prefer other options such as hospice care. But without information, patients and their families cannot make informed thoughtful choices."
"For over a century, New York law has recognized the fundamental concept of 'informed consent' by patients. This new law builds on that. Many physicians find these issues very difficult to raise with patients, or they may be consciously or unconsciously guided by their own preferences or fears," Gottfried said. "Ordinarily, the law shouldn't tell doctors how to relate to their patients. But sometimes we have to help overcome obstacles to good practice."
The new law requires physicians and nurse practitioners caring for patients diagnosed with a terminal illness to offer information and counseling on the available options for palliative and end-of-life care. The physician or nurse practitioner may do this personally or by referral to another physician or nurse practitioner. Information or counseling would not have to be provided to a patient who does not want it. Where a patient lacks capacity to understand and make informed choices, the information and counseling shall be offered to the appropriate surrogate, such as a health care agent designated by the patient in a signed health care proxy or a family member under the recently-enacted Family Health Care Decisions Act.
"Dignity at the end of life is a gift not only to the dying, but also to their loved ones. For the family, those final memories are often among the most poignant and enduring," Gottfried said. "Dying patients and their families should have information and counseling available that includes a full range of information about end of life care options including hospice care, aggressive pain management, and palliative sedation. The patient is then empowered to control his or her own health care decisions with full information."
The bill, A. 7617/S. 4498, was sponsored in the Assembly by Mr. Gottfried and in the Senate by Senate Health Committee chair Thomas K. Duane.
| 89 |
| Vote |
subscribe to this blog
