X-Message-Number: 11939
Date: Thu, 10 Jun 1999 22:07:03 -0700
From: Jeff Davis <>
Subject: "Creative funding possibility" or "Divorced from reality"?

Friends,

	It may be that what I'm about to suggest is too outlandish or unrealistic
to be taken seriously, or it may be that it's been thought of--and perhaps
even discussed--already.  Whatever the case, if it's appropriate, I
apologize in advance.  You see, I have this odd question.

	A person diagnosed with terminal cancer--I'm thinking here specifically of
colon cancer spread to the liver, though I'm certain that it applies to
other forms of cancer--can expect to spend a goodly period of time in a
hospital undergoing treatment.  In the case of liver cancer (in contrast to
other forms) the disruption of body chemistry causes delerium and the
patient would not (I'm guessing here) be easily--perhaps not
properly--cared for at home.  My point is that the terminal phase often
involves (or such is my impression) an extended, expensive hospitalization. 

	If anyone has statistical data on the actual costs of such
hospitalization, it would be helpful.

	Now what is the possibility that a person with medical insurance could go
to his/her insurer and say, "I will release you from your contractual
liability to cover the expenses of my medical care, if you will write me a
check for "x" thousands of dollars.", which he/she can then use to pay for
his/her suspension?  How unlikely is the cooperation of the insurance
company?  And how else is this unrealistic?

	For the sake of argument assume that the patient DOES NOT TELL the
insurance company what he wants the money for, or better yet, tells them
that he wants it (wry smile) for health insurance for some loved one.
(Which, in fact, is the case.)

	Then the individual in question gets a private physician who is savvy to
the cryonics plan, gets a prescription for pain killers--morphine is
good--goes to a friendly location/hospice near his cryonics facility of
choice, and either weathers the final trial in an otherwise conventional
fashion, or truncates the process a bit by some well-timed overmedication,
with again, a sympathetic physician and cryonics rep near at hand, to
perform a timely declaration and suspension, respectively. 

	How does the cost of medical care compare to the 30-150 thousand dollar
cost range of suspensions?  
	It just seems to me that since everyone has to go through "deanimation"
and "interment" eventually anyway (until future technologies provide
alternatives), and since these things always have a hefty price tag
attached, it's such a damn shame to "waste" that money when it could be
used so much more practically.

	Okay, I'm sitting down. 

	
			Best, Jeff Davis

	   "Everything's hard till you know how to do it."
					Ray Charles				

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