Unwanted Life-Sustaining Treatment Lawsuit - California Appeals Court Briefed

Patricia Melton directed clinicians at Hollywood Presbyterian Hospital and its affiliated long-term care facility (CHA Health Systems) to stop ventilatory support for her critically ill husband actor Dennis Lipscomb. But the facility delayed complying with this direction.

Melton claims that CHA invented a series of pretextual excuses like needing to check the validity of the advance directive and needing to confirm the patient's incapacity. Melton claims that CHA actually wanted to first obtain the maximum benefit from Medicare, 100 days of sub-acute care at $35,000 per month. 

The Los Angeles Superior Court granted judgment to the defendants in October 2019 (BC-601-979). The appeal is now being briefed to the Second Appellate District (B-302-521).