Health Care at the End of Life: Navigating Legal Challenges in Planning, Payment and Treatment

Tuesday, November 6, 2007
3:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
Reception to follow

Sponsored by: Health Law Section and Trusts & Estates Section

Longer life expectancies, coupled with technological advances in medicine, have made end-of-life health care legally and ethically complex.  This program, designed for experienced health law practitioners as well as estate planning attorneys, will address key issues surrounding end-of-life care.  Attendees will learn the intricacies of planning for end-of-life care, paying for end-of-life care and making treatment decisions at the end of life. 

The expert panel, including estate planning practitioners, attorneys for a major teaching hospital, a physician ethicist and attorneys knowledgeable about health care payment systems, will take attendees through each topic area - planning, payment and treatment - addressing such specifics as:

1. best practices for drafting a health care proxy
2. maximizing insurance benefits for optimal end-of-life care and
3. managing legal challenges arising from end-of-life treatment decisions

Specific Topics will include:

1. How to prepare a health care proxy (and other relevant documents) that will best effectuate a client’s needs and desires at the end of life
2. Key payment sources for end-of-life care, including hospital-based, hospice and community treatment, and challenges in obtaining coverage for optimal care
3. Insight into how end-of-life treatment decisions are made from a legal and ethical perspective and the impact of advance planning on decision-making outcomes

Panelists

Joshua L. Abrams, Esq.
Partners HealthCare System, Inc.
 
Melissa P. Brennan, Esq.
Partners HealthCare System, Inc.

Robert D. Clark, Esq.
Mintz Levin Cohn Ferris Glovsky & Popeo P.C.

Pauline Edmonds, Esq.  
Executive Office of Elder Affairs

Lachlan B. Forrow, MD
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center

Diane F. Paulson, Esq.
Greater Boston Legal Services

Ken W. Shulman, Esq.  
Day Pitney LLP

Marjorie Suisman, Esq. 
Davis, Malm & D’Agostine P.C.
 

Program Chair

Clare D. McGorrian, Esq.

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