end of life care

Using data from a national longitudinal survey, Mt. Sinai professor Amy Kelley looked at out-of-pocket medical costs near the end of life and uncovered some sobering statistics. A whopping 43 percent of Medicare patients end up spending more than the total value of their assets, excluding real estate, on end-of-life care, while 25 percent spent all their assets including including any money from home or property.

Hospice care with a side of golf? That's just the beginning. Hospices are working to "diversify their services" in preparation for the eventual needs of aging boomers, according to the Associated Press. In the meantime, providers would like to dispel myths that hospice care is all doom, gloom and candlelit bedrooms.

Crystal Ball 2.0: In the five weeks since a team of California doctors launched ePrognosis, the life expectancy predicting website has attracted more than half a million visits.

Reason For Snacking-Not Timing-Matters Most: It's 10 a.m. Breakfast was three hours ago. Lunch isn't for another two. But your stomach is growling. Time for a mid-morning snack? Sure!-if you want to undermine your diet, researchers say. A 1 2-month study of women dieters ages 50-75, published in…

A new study published in the British medical journal Lancet says a host of factors, such as Medicare reimbursement, location and the availability of hospital beds, weigh more heavily on a doctor's decision to operate than a patient's needs, wants or whether surgery will improve their quality of life. And a growing number of 401(k) plan participants are bringing lawsuits against their employers (who administer the plans) for allowing poorly-performing and/or overly-expensive funds into their retirement portfolios.

Imagine you were suffering from a terminal illness and a treatment could boost your immune system to help fight the disease. The drug would not be a cure, may extend your life by about 4 months and costs $93,000 per patient.