Cost of Dying - $323,000 in 10 Days

Lisa Krieger tells a moving story about the cascade (even avalanche) of diagnostics and interventions at the end of her father's life.  She asks how a "frugal man" with "carefully prepared end-of-life instructions" could run up a hospital bill of $323,000 in just 10 days.  





In retrospect, this spending looks extraordinary.  And in retrospect much of the treatment seems unnecessary and non-beneficial.  But, at the time, each decision seemed quite reasonable.  Indeed, Lisa herself consented to all that treatment on her father's behalf.  Far more tragic is all the expensive treatment consented to by family members who lack the information to make informed decisions.  This is especially troublesome in light of a new survey this month reporting that most people say it is "extremely important" that their family is not "burdened financially" by their care.