Argumentative Essay: End Of Life Care

When it comes to end of life care, Colorado has limited options due to the fact that Death with Dignity is not legal. A patient that is terminally ill can choose between palliative care and hospice to finish out their final days. While there are options for end of life care in Colorado, they are costly, and do not take into account the patient’s will to live. Viewed through a quantitative and ethical lens, both major options not only hinder, but also are detrimental, to Colorado’s ability to provide end of life care. The passage of Death with Dignity legislation would provide an alternative, and could potentially alleviate some of undue financial and emotional stress put on terminally ill patients. Many patients with terminal illnesses would

While some of the expenses are covered by insurance plans, the Denver Hospice organization notes that “Room and board are not covered by most insurance companies when receiving hospice care in a nursing home, assisted living facility, or in inpatient care centers” (http://www.denverhospice.org). This is where hospice can become outrageous for some patients. According to a survey conducted in Denver in 2008 by MetLife, “The average semi private room in a nursing home costs 69,715 per year” (MetLife, 2009). Although patients who qualify for hospice are diagnosed with only about six months to live, the cost of participating in hospice for that time frame, if in a nursing home, is close to $35,000. In a statistical brief for the HealthCare Cost and Utilization Project published in January of 2013, authors Lauren Weir, M.P.H and Claudia Stenier, M.D, M.P.H go on to discuss that “In 2010, the average cost of a [hospital] stay was $9,700” (p. 1). That figure only includes the hospital stay, not any additional fees incurred, such as doctor fees or medication. Hospice in a hospital would be beyond expensive for the average person, especially if the patient was admitted for an extended