Decision to skip life-extending medical care may significantly cut healthcare expenses, according to a new report
In a recent study, the Health Insurance Research Institute found that establishing a long-term plan for life-sustaining treatment can significantly reduce medical costs before death. The research, released on Tuesday, is part of an ongoing social discussion on expanding the scope of patients subject to stopping life-sustaining treatments.
The study compared the medical costs of patients who decided to forgo life-sustaining treatment and those who continued with it. Patients who chose to stop treatment spent an average of 4.6 million won in their final month, while those who continued spent an average of 9.1 million won.
The high cost for patients who continued life-sustaining treatments might be due to them receiving extensive, highly-priced medical care while deciding whether to discontinue treatment. On the other hand, patients who decided not to receive life-sustaining treatment just days before their death ended up spending an average of 18 million won in their final month.
As of Aug. 9, about 3 million people nationwide have signed forms to refuse life-sustaining treatment in case of an untreatable disease. Of the adult population, 6.8% have signed the statement, and 21% of those aged 65 and older have done so.
The system of allowing terminal patients to refuse life-sustaining treatments has led to more patients choosing hospice care over intensive care units. Timely discussions about stopping life-sustaining treatments are associated with improved patient well-being and reduced medical costs. These conversations help align care with the patient's values and goals, often prioritizing symptom management and avoidance of unnecessary suffering while preventing aggressive interventions that may not improve quality of life.
Early palliative and advance care planning interventions promote dignified end-of-life experiences and support patient-centered care. Studies show that early engagement in these discussions is linked to better quality of life, reduced symptom burden, and sometimes improved survival. Economic evaluations suggest cost savings stemming from decreased use of intensive medical services toward the end of life, though long-term sustainability of these benefits requires further research.
Furthermore, these conversations ease the burden on family caregivers by clarifying patient wishes, reducing decisional conflicts, and improving coping during the terminal phase. Ensuring equitable access to quality end-of-life care regardless of socioeconomic or demographic factors remains an ongoing challenge but is critical for maximizing patient well-being and resource optimization.
In summary, timely, well-conducted discussions about stopping life-sustaining treatments at the end of life enhance care quality for patients and families while supporting more efficient and cost-effective use of medical resources. A policy to ensure patients have sufficient time to decide on life-sustaining treatments is emphasized as necessary for this improvement.
- The study’s findings regarding medical costs before death highlight the importance of science in developing more effective health-and-wellness strategies that consider both the financial and emotional aspects of medical-conditions, particularly for terminal patients.
- The increasing number of individuals signing forms to refuse life-sustaining treatment in case of an untreatable disease underlines the role of science in improving end-of-life care through advance care planning interventions, fostering patient-centered health-and-wellness decisions.
