Late Rep. Jim Hagedorn's family sues his widow for medical expenses

[dflprincess]

https://www.startribune.com/late-rep-jim-hagedorns-family-sues-widow-for-medical-expenses/600174430/

Family members of the late U.S. Rep. Jim Hagedorn are suing his widow, Jennifer Carnahan, to recoup medical expenses related to treatments he received in Arizona before his death.

Two lawsuits filed in district court Monday by Hagedorn's mother, stepfather and sister allege they helped pay for cancer treatments he received at Envita Medical Centers after he was told he had exhausted his options at Mayo Clinic in Rochester.

If those treatments weren't successful, Carnahan made a "clear and definite promise" to use the inheritance she was to receive after his death to reimburse his family members, according to both lawsuits.

Carnahan, who is running to replace her husband in Congress, said in a statement that her husband's estate is required to go through the probate process in the courts to "determine the disposition of assets in accordance with Minnesota law."

"There is nothing further we are allowed to do at this time," she added. "I wish Jim's family well and know this time has been very difficult for all of us."

Hagedorn died after a long battle with kidney cancer on Feb. 17. The lawsuits say he was told in January that there were no more treatments available for him at Mayo Clinic in his congressional district, so he sought additional treatments at the (Envita) facility in Scottsdale.

More at the link.

According to the website the cancer treatment at Envita starts at about $120K (plus accommodations and initial consult & tests) and they're not clear if insurance covers any of it. Hard to tell if they're doing legitimate research or just preying on the desperate. Really, if Mayo told me there was nothing more to be done, I think I'd listen to them. (But maybe not, I haven't been in that position.)

https://healnavigator.com/listing/envita-reviews/

[Lettuce Be]

1. These last ditch expensive treatments never help so do not do this

My father, dying of Multiple Myeloma, was offered one last chance. An expensive treatment that very likely would not help. He suffered for months in horrible pain and his doctor never told him he was terminal, rather told him chemo could help with the pain (a lie). Because of his doctor not being honest he held out hope he'd be cured (not possible due to his age he could not have the treatments that younger people can have that sometimes causes remission). He also did not do the things he loved, thinking he'd wait until he was better. Fishing mostly. We begged him to go out on the boat but he wouldn't, saying it wouldn't be fun for the rest of us if he had to ask to go back in. It was so sad.

Drugs are offered to cancer patients because they are desperate, but some literally say you may get another few weeks of life out of the deal. How is that worth any price? It's not. You are already sick and dying, do not give any more $ to the pharmaceutical industry.

My sister was transported from the chemo treatment facility directly to ICU where she died a week later. She should not have been still receiving chemo. They know it's not helping. It's for profit, and nothing else.

[dflprincess]

2. My brother's oncologist offered him some last ditch "buy him some time" chemo

which my brother chose to do. There had been some success with the drug though the research at the time said it worked best for Asian women who had never smoked (seriously!). The doctor made it clear in Brother's case, this would only keep him going for a few weeks but he did think it would be "good time", not spent being sick from the chemo.

Fortunately, insurance did pay for drug, he tolerated it very well and he had a good quality of life for his last 2 or 3 months. Things really didn't get bad for him until the last week or so. Up until then he was able to live pretty normally (including feeling well enough to go to a couple Twins games) and had even gotten his appetite back.

It really depends on the patient, the drug, and how honest the doctor is about what can be done.

[Mawspam2]

3. Hoping to get some of that Anton Lazzaro child sex money?

[a kennedy]

4. To kinda change the subject......his wife is now running for his seat in a primary that has.....

2 candidates for legal weed….10 candidates in the repub party, and 8 running in the Democratic Party. Primary is today……