Why Elder Law Professors Love La Crosse, Wisconsin

The most recent episode of the Planet Money podcast was about La Crosse, Wisconsin, which it describes as “The Town That Loves Death.” Despite this ominous description, La Crosse, Wisconsin is not as sinister as it sounds.  Instead, it is a city that any elder law professor would be proud to live in as 96% of adult citizens of La Crosse, Wisconsin have express advance directives to prepare for their passing.  

Here is a description of the podcast from the Planet Money website: 

People in La Crosse, Wisconsin are used to talking about death. In fact, 96 percent of people who die in this small, Midwestern city have specific directions laid out for when they pass. That number is astounding. Nationwide, it’s more like 50 percent.

In today’s episode, we’ll take you to a place where dying has become acceptable dinner conversation for teenagers and senior citizens alike. A place that also happens to have the lowest healthcare spending of any region in the country.