(WSVN) - A South Florida man was in terrible pain, and put in hospice care to live the few remaining days of his life. But then there was a problem, and because of it, he lost hospice care and the ability to lessen his pain. That problem is why he called Help Me Howard with Patrick Fraser.
If you wake up this morning, no pain, things to look forward to, you’re lucky… Bill is not.
Bill Platt: “I am in constant pain, and it gets so tight at night that I literally cry. My wife will tell you that. I literally cry at night.”
Bill is sick, very sick.
Bill Platt: “I have an enlarged liver, I have tumors in my abdomen that are deteriorating into my other organs.”
We all will face passing away one day, but Bill says it’s hard to describe what it’s like.
Bill Platt: “You just can’t prepare for something, for death, you can’t.”
As his body weakened, doctors determined he was eligible for hospice care while living at home.
Bill Platt: “To keep me comfortable, it was all about pain medication.”
And Bill was told he wouldn’t be in hospice long.
Bill Platt: “They had told me if I make six months that I would be lucky.”
But Bill says with prayers, good nursing care and determination, he made it to six months.
Bill Platt: “I thought I was going to die a couple times, but I kept fighting it. I wanted to stay alive, I enjoy life.”
That surprised the doctors.
Then Bill got a surprise–he was no longer eligible for hospice care.
Bill Platt: “Is it because I didn’t die quick enough? He goes, ‘Basically yes. In other words, you didn’t die quick enough so we are not keeping you on.'”
Being released seems like a victory, but Bill says it’s not for his body.
Bill Platt: “And now it’s becoming worse and worse where I am deteriorating. I hate to use that word, but they keep using it to me.”
Under hospice, Bill says the team was able to control his pain.
Without that care at home, Bill knows what’s coming.
Bill Platt: “I am dying, but who knows when. I won’t be able to take the pain, there’ll be no way.”
And facing that, his request is simple.
Bill Platt: “I’d like to see me be able to get back on hospice without any nonsense.”
You’ve heard Bill’s story, Howard. Legally, is he entitled to return to hospice care for his remaining days?
Howard Finkelstein: “In most cases, if doctors determine you are near death, you can return to hospice care. But unfortunately in Bill’s case, the cancer is so rare and the progression unknown, that the doctor cannot with certainty say his death is imminent. Therefore under the law, he does not have a right to hospice care, but he does have a right to proper pain medication.”
Making it difficult to help Bill under HIPAA laws, no one can discuss his case with us, but Paul Ledford, the president of the Florida Hospice Association, was very helpful.
Speaking in general, he wrote that to be eligible for hospice, two physicians certify the individual has a life expectancy of six months or less.
If it’s then determined the patient has improved or stabilized, Medicare no longer permits hospice services, and if a program retains the patient, it will be considered fraud under the False Claims Act.
Ledford added, a patient may be readmitted to hospice care if two physicians determine the patient is in decline.
But Bill says no more hospice for him.
Bill Platt: “I don’t think I want to go back in there, I would rather pass away at home.”
When we visited Bill again, he looked a little better–because he was able to get a doctor to prescribe powerful pain medication.
Bill says it’s still not enough.
Bill Platt: “Nah, I don’t feel that good. I don’t think I have much left.”
Bill called me to see what time he would be on TV. It made him happy, he laughed. Little things. God bless you, Bill.
Now, if you or someone you know may need hospice care there are people to talk to or a website to visit to get answers for you.
Not a good time for puns today.
With this Help Me Howard, I’m Patrick Fraser, 7News
Hospice information
https://lethospicehelp.org/
Toll free hospice help line: 800-282-6560
CONTACT HELP ME HOWARD:
Email: helpmehoward@wsvn.com
Reporter: Patrick Fraser at pfraser@wsvn.com
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