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• • <br />Estimated Net Savings: <br />' James Benefits projects an estimated net savings of 2.5% of total <br />paid claims. for 85/86 projected claims, this would result in a <br />dollar savings of: <br />( 2.5% x 388 ,083 = $9 ,702. ) <br />B. Hospice Care Alternative <br />Unfortunately, a lingering, terminal illness can affect the young and <br />' old alike. When employers provide an appropriate hospice care alter- <br />native to inpatient confinement for terminal illness, both the <br />employees, his family and the City benefit greatly. <br />Hospice care is for the terminally ill and medical attention is <br />generally limited to relief from paid. In August 1982, the <br />Congressional Budget Office estimated that hospices served 50,000 <br />' people - 10% of the potential users. On the average, all but 5% of <br />hospice patients are suffering from terminal cancer. In December <br />1982 the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Hospitals estimated <br />' that there were 790 hospice programs either operational or under <br />development across the United States. <br />Numerous federal and private studies have documented that hospice <br />' care costs approximately 30%-50% less than inpatient hospital care of <br />the terminally ill. In addition to the cost savings of hospice care <br />other hospice goals include: <br />1. Helping patients and their families to live as fully and comfort- <br />ably as they choose. <br />' 2. Maintaining dying patients at home as long as possible when de- <br />sirable and feasible. <br />' 3. Supplement, not duplicate, existing health and social services. <br />4. Develop a bereavement program for the patient and surviving <br />' family. <br />5. Manage distressing physical and psychological symptoms of dying <br />patients. <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />i eE~~ <br />