In a NY Times article Robert Pear  discusses the new Medicaid regulation starting on January 1 which was signed into law in March 2010 dealing with end-of-life-planning.

With the new law, doctors who advise patients on end of life planning will be paid by the government. As quoted in the article “The new rule says Medicare will cover “voluntary advance care planning,” to discuss end-of-life treatment, as part of the annual visit.”

The article also goes on to discuss concerns expressed by opponents of the new regulation that “…the Obama administration was bringing back a procedure that could be used to justify the premature withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment from people with severe illnesses and disabilities.”

Read more about this new legislation and then come back and  tell us what you think about “end-of-life planning”