Wednesday, March 23, 2005

Rising Medical Costs

WaPo reported As Republican leaders in Congress move to trim billions of dollars from the Medicaid health program, they are simultaneously intervening to save the life of possibly the highest-profile Medicaid patient: Terri Schiavo....

In 1993, Michael Schiavo received a medical malpractice judgment of more than $750,000 in his wife's name, according to a report by her court-appointed guardian ad litem. The money was placed in a trust fund administered by an independent trustee for Schiavo's care.

Michael Schiavo's lawyers have said that $40,000 to $50,000 remains. Patient care at the Florida hospice where Schiavo lives averages about $80,000 a year, but the hospice now pays for much of her care. For two years, Medicaid has covered other medical costs, including prescription drugs, the attorneys have said in published reports.


I favor letting Terri go Home to be with Jesus, but not for financial reasons, but because her husband says that is what she said she wanted, and I can't imagine anyone wanting to live for 16 years in her condition. I am amazed that the people (other than her family) fighting the hardest to keep her alive are people of Faith, who supposedly know that what awaits us "on the other side" is much better than what we have here.

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