But at age 69, Cummins had a nest egg. Many cancer patients experience horrible pain near death, and even the best oncologists don't always know how to ease it. The drugs sapped his will to do anything except stare at Knicks games. A friend who also has cancer phoned one day to ask if he had tried any new treatment. I had just given up.
Many doctors flinch at using controlled substances because of the nation's harsh antidrug laws.
If you have a complex estate or want to spare beneficiaries the often lengthy and costly process of probate, talk to your lawyer about a living trust, which protects your assets while you're alive. When you die, a co-trustee will distribute them according to your wishes. Keep the identity of your proxy with you. While hospice-care coverage is thorough, it requires that two doctors declare that the patient has six months or less to live, which discourages many doctors and patients. Even if you're covered by Medicare, consider buying Medigap policies, or private supplemental insurance, to cover what Medicare does not.