Economic Impact of an Advanced Illness Consultation Program within a Medicare Advantage Plan Population.

Background: In the United States the quality and cost associated with medical treatment for individuals experiencing an advanced illness is highly variable and is often misaligned with the patient's and family's quality of life values and priorities. Many of the obstacles that stand in the way of aligning the care that an individual receives with their priorities are well understood in the context of behavioral science. Through employing behavioral based approaches to improve the quality of communication and shared decision making processes among patients, providers and families it is possible to enhance the efficiency of delivering care which is also more highly aligned with the individual's preferences.