Hacker News Reader

Another financial incentive that exists: Families can get up to $9,000 for funeral expenses if the cause of death is listed as Covid.

https://www.cnet.com/personal-finance/covid-funeral-reimburs...

View on HN

Why would that incentivize the hospital though? Isn’t that who determines cause of death?

Not necessarily the hospital itself, but with that kind of incentive it's going to find its way in. One possibility is family members applying pressure to compassionate doctors.

“Show me the incentive and I'll show you the outcome” - Charlie Munger

Fantastic quote!

Lady calls in, her 450lb 57 year old son with uncontrolled type 2 diabetes and COPD is found dead at his home. Post-mortem test shows he's positive for COVID. You're the doctor, your hospital has had to furlough a quarter of their staff because nobody is coming in for any outpatient care, there's an ICU full of people on vents and you've been there for 18 hours already.

The guys mom is there and you're working up her son's case. You have to fill in the blank for cause of death. What are you going to do? Order an autopsy and possibly cut this family out of government aid for COVID-related expenses and deaths?

Reply on news.ycombinator.com