Requires the commissioner of health to conduct a study relating to medical aid in dying in the event that New York state allows for medical aid in dying.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
30
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY(Prefiled)
January 9, 2019
___________
Introduced by M. of A. CAHILL, JAFFEE, SEAWRIGHT, ZEBROWSKI, BARRON,
RAIA, BLAKE, GLICK, ARROYO, BICHOTTE -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A.
COOK, DICKENS -- read once and referred to the Committee on Health
AN ACT in relation to requiring the commissioner of health to conduct a
study relating to medical aid in dying
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. (a) The commissioner of health is hereby authorized and
2 directed to study the issues, implications, practices, licensure
3 requirements and other topics related to medical aid in dying.
4 (b) The study shall include, but not be limited to, the following
5 topics related to medical aid in dying: statutes currently in effect
6 across the United States and elsewhere; program implementation; written
7 and oral request processes; rescission of a patient's request; existing
8 clinical criteria used by physicians to determine whether a patient is
9 eligible; the specific type of physicians or medical professionals who
10 are legally authorized to respond to a patient's inquiries or request
11 for the end-of-life medication or assistance; the physicians' responsi-
12 bilities and duties; the consulting physician's responsibilities and
13 duties; the referral process to mental health professionals; the type of
14 medical record documentation requirements; how physicians respond to a
15 patient's inquiry; how physicians assess patients' decision making capa-
16 bilities; the use of an interpreter in circumstances where one is
17 requested, required or appropriate; procedures administered including
18 the types and doses of prescription medications provided if any; infor-
19 mation statistical and other regarding people who have used medical aid
20 in dying; an appraisal of reported abuse, if any, of medical aid in
21 dying; regular reporting requirements; issues involving health or life
22 insurance coverage; an examination of current hospice services across
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD00024-01-9
A. 30 2
1 New York state; and any other topic or issue required to conduct this
2 study.
3 (c) The commissioner of health shall submit a report including recom-
4 mendations and findings based on this study to the governor, the tempo-
5 rary president of the senate, the speaker of the assembly and the chairs
6 of the senate and assembly standing committees on health no later than
7 December 31, 2020.
8 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
