Appropriate Funding of Services in Life Care Planning

A primary objective of a life care plan is to appropriately fund future medical treatment related to a specific injury or incident. The plan should neither overfund nor underfund necessary items and services. When developing a life care plan, it's crucial to consider the potential overlapping of services to prevent "double dipping," which can lead to overfunding. Conversely, underfunding can occur if the entire cost of a service is not accounted for.
Overfunding Example: Consider an individual with a traumatic brain injury who lives at home and requires 24-hour attendant care. If this person also needs inpatient rehabilitation, the cost of attendant care should be deducted during the inpatient rehabilitation period. Another example involves medication needs. If an individual is already prescribed a once-daily muscle relaxer but will require it three times daily following a recommended surgery, the life care planner should only fund the additional two doses during the post-operative period.
Avoiding Underfunding: To prevent underfunding, a life care planner must consider the entire cost of each recommendation. For instance, when accounting for surgery costs, the planner should obtain all associated expenses, including:

1. Physician fees

2. Assistant physician/surgeon fees (if needed)

3. Facility fees

4. Anesthesia fees

5. Hardware/implant fees (if applicable)

6. Neuromonitoring fees (if necessary)

Additionally, the life care planner must factor in all pre- and post-operative treatment costs, such as:

1. Pre-operative labs and diagnostics

2. Post-operative physician follow-up visits

3. Physical therapy

4. Medications

5. Imaging

Another example is the recommendation of a power wheelchair. Beyond the initial cost, the life care planner should consider expenses for:

1. Wheelchair maintenance

2. Battery replacements

3. Necessary accessories

It is standard practice in life care planning to evaluate how one recommendation may affect others. Life care planners should thoroughly assess each recommendation to account for potential service overlaps or to ensure the entire cost of each service or item is included.
By adhering to these principles, life care planners can create more accurate and comprehensive plans that appropriately fund the future medical needs of injured individuals.