The Final Bill
Season 1
Episode 3: The Nursing Home Equation
Episode 2: Hospice or Bankruptcy?
by Pauline Cai
Nursing homes ought to offer safety and support, but under today's economy, not only are they harder to pay for, they're harder to find. In this podcast, the analysis is given on why long-term care costs so much, how closings and corporate control affect quality, and what that all translates into for families coping with terminal illness. Thank you so much for listening! Links to read more: https://www.nber.org/system/files/working_papers/w28474/w28474.pdf https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35977267/ https://skillednursingnews.com/2025/03/nursing-home-room-costs-increase-by-7-to-9-as-all-long-term-care-costs-rise/ Socials: spotify: The Final Bill youtube: The Final Bill Podcast facebook: @thefinalbill instagram: @thefinalbill email: pointsofpauline@gmail.com
For so many families, receiving hospice care amounts to ongoing treatment, and ongoing treatment amounts to drowning in debt. In this episode, I`d like to commemorate Juneteenth and explore why end-of-life care is so expensive, how race and income restrict your options, and what can be done to make dying less economically disastrous. Thank you so much for listening! Links to read more: https://www.capc.org/blog/increasing-awareness-palliative-care-minorities/ https://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/issue-briefs/2023/mar/inequities-coverage-access-black-hispanic-adults https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10022295/ Socials: spotify: The Final Bill youtube: The Final Bill Podcast facebook: @thefinalbill instagram: @thefinalbill email: pointsofpauline@gmail.com
An opening episode explores the financial cost of terminal illnesses like cancer and Alzheimer's, from rising caregiving costs to the impact on healthcare systems. Drawing on hard facts and my own analysis, it explores how end-of-life care is reshaping economic facts and what choices can stem its impact. Thank you so much for listening! Links to read more: pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC1464043/ cancer.org Socials: spotify: The Final Bill youtube: The Final Bill Podcast facebook: @thefinalbill instagram: @thefinalbill email: pointsofpauline@gmail.com