Diane Meier: Advance care planning restores power to patients.

A Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services proposal to reimburse practitioners for discussing advance care planning drew praise of long-term care medical directors in July.

AMDA — The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine said such discussions are necessary. The American Medical Association also voiced its support.

CMS seeks comment on advance care planning reimbursement as part of its 2016 proposed physician fee schedule rule. The proposal would cover ACP discussions between Medicare beneficiaries and their practitioners about the type of care that would be right for them, in the event that an illness would leave them unable to speak for themselves.