| Abstract: | This study examines utilization of health services and costs of care for cancer patients during the last 6 months of life broken down into 3 time periods, and the relationship with costs of patient characteristics and home-carelhome-hospice use. The data werc derived from a retrospective study of a random samplc of 133 adult cancer deaths in Monroe County. Data sources included revicw of medical records, including hospital billing records, and interviews with physicians and surviving relatives. Sixty-five patients (49%) used home care services; their total costs of care were somewhat higher than those of non-users even after controlling for age, marital status and length of the terminal care period. The implications of the upcoming hospice legislation arc discussed in the light of these results. |
