My father-in-law has cancer. He has Humana. He has an IV, a feeding tube, and dementia. They say he doesn’t need skilled care. He will die without it. What can we do?

Your father in law is terminal. There are no medical alternatives to save him in his present condition. He needs hospice care.

I think people are missing the point. This hospital performed two life extending procedures on this guy, which can now only be sustained at an snf? They sustain people on tubes and Iv all the time.

The dad and family want him to be alive with his present interventions. The fastest way to accomplish this fastest is to call 911 and claim shortness of breath, sweaty, confusion. That’ll get an ambulance there to take him with his feeding tube and iv, and have him stabilized in er with whatever’s going on with the Iv and tube.

And meanwhile, you tell them that he won’t be coming home with you. Just keep saying unsafe discharge.

The hosp will have to keep him stabilized until they can transfer him to an snf that can do that. Let those entities deal with the insurance once they have him living there. If that doesn’t work, be prepared to private pay for the duration he is there assuming he isn’t Medicaid.

At 85 with cancer and dementia, I would slow things down here. His quality of life is very low. I would start thinking in terms of comfort as opposed to being alive for as long as possible.

Stop wasting energy fighting with Humana. That's not what insurance pays for. Don't appeal. Does he have no money and no assets?

Sorry you are in this difficult situation.

Skilled care is not paid by Health insurance companies, its paid by Medicaid if the person has no money. Not even paid by Medicare unless its a Rehab situation.

Sounds like to me Dad needs Hospice care. I think your best bet would be talking to Medicaid and getting him into a SNF under Hospice care. I think you may have to except that Dad is dying.

You could call his doctor and ask if its possible to get in home care with Medicare paying for it since an IV is involved.

Problem with Health insurance companies if they think a family member can do it, they won't pay. No, I would not want to be responsible for a feeding tube but there are members on this forum I am sure have done it. IV is a different thing but then maybe its just changing bags.

Just curious, if Dad needed this care, why was he not just transfered from the Hospital to a SNF and Medicaid started. A SW could have worked with you.

If you've stopped the chemo, it sounds as though it might be time to call in Hospice.

Why are you fighting to keep someone so compromised alive? Does he have ANY quality of life? I think at this stage, I might opt for comfort care and some good, pain-free time with friends and family before a peaceful passing.

I hope that doesn't come across as cold or unfeeling--it's not meant to be. But at some point, ask yourselves what you are saving him from.