1. Benefits Cost Quality of Life
In the last week of life, the mean aggregate costs of care (in 2008 US dollars) were $1876 for cancer patients who reported EOL discussions compared with $2917 for patients who did not, a cost difference of $1041.
Quality of Life
Patients with higher costs had worse quality of death in their final week
Arch Intern Med. 2009;169(5):

2. Medicare Reimbursement
On Friday, November 2, 2015, the Obama administration issued a final rule that will allow Medicare to reimburse physicians for end-of-life discussions with patients.
The rule will take effect Jan. 1, 2016

3. Medicare Reimbursement (2)
The rule allows physicians to include end-of-life discussions as part of patients' annual check-ups.
Physicians can also continue to be reimbursed for such discussions that occur during a patient's initial visit when he or she first enrolls in Medicare, which is already covered under the program  

4. Starting the Conversation
“. . .early and often . . .”

5. Life-Value Conversations (1) 

6. Life-Value Conversations (2)
VALUES

7. Life-Value Conversations (3)
Values Sort Cards
Very Important
Important
Not Important