09-24-2015, 10:21 AM
The people who use Right to Die laws are terminally ill and have at least two medical professionals certifying that their prognosis is death within 6 months. In states that already have such laws on the books, the COD is the illness/disease, not suicide.
Brittany Maynard, for example, died of brain cancer. Her life insurance would either kick in for her survivors just as if she'd died a couple of months, or hours, or days later without the assistance of medication (or possibly kick in 6 months after her death).
So, the impact to life insurance companies would be minimal, I imagine. If someone applies for life insurance after they're diagnosed terminally ill, they're gonna have a harder time getting it than others (regardless as to whether Right to Die laws are in place). But, health insurance companies probably save a fair amount of money in hospital stays and life support when terminally ill patients choose to end their lives before all of their organs eventually shutdown.
Brittany Maynard, for example, died of brain cancer. Her life insurance would either kick in for her survivors just as if she'd died a couple of months, or hours, or days later without the assistance of medication (or possibly kick in 6 months after her death).
So, the impact to life insurance companies would be minimal, I imagine. If someone applies for life insurance after they're diagnosed terminally ill, they're gonna have a harder time getting it than others (regardless as to whether Right to Die laws are in place). But, health insurance companies probably save a fair amount of money in hospital stays and life support when terminally ill patients choose to end their lives before all of their organs eventually shutdown.