Literature Review

Congress floats Medicare physician pay bump: 4 notes Becker's Hospital CFO Report, by Mackenzie Bean; 3/4/24 Physicians are set to receive a 1.7% increase in Medicare pay effective March 9 as part of a $460 billion spending package congressional leaders released this weekend. Four things to know: ... [click on the title's link for more]

What is the appropriate response when a colleague is not following an aid-in-dying law? American Clinicians Academy on Medical Aid in Dying - Ethics Consultation Service; posted by Jean Abbott, MD, MH; originally posted 2/2/24 and emailed 3/4/24 Outline of Ethics Question: A resource practitioner for aid-in-dying care has encountered practitioners who have not followed the requirements of the laws in that state, including eligibility, documentation, and other standard legal or medical elements of aid-in-dying care. The resource practitioner wonders what ethical responsibilities should guide their response to these concerns. Definition of “resource practitioner”: An experienced prescriber who acts as a source of information or a mentor for others prescribing or consulting for patients considering aid in dying. Their role is to advise the provider on aid-in-dying best medical practices and the process required to comply with the law.

Minnesota's ethical dilemma: Assisted suicide debate intensifies amid disability concerns BNN, by Waqas Arain; 2/28/24  Discover the complex narratives and ethical dilemmas surrounding Minnesota's proposed End-of-Life Option Act, as advocates and opponents clash over the autonomy of terminally ill patiens and the potential risks to vulnerable groups.

Rhode Island: Physician-assisted suicide bill reintroduced in state legislature The Brown Daily Herald, by Maya Kelly; 3/1/24House Bill 7100 would legalize prescription of lethal medications to patients wiht less than six months to live. ... [Read this article for more history.] ... Joan Teno, an adjunct professor of health services, policy and practice, noted that medical professionals are “strictly protected” by the bill: if a healthcare provider does not wish to prescribe a lethal medication, they are under no obligation to do so. Physicians are also immune from accusations of unprofessional conduct as long as the patient meets all requirements. 

Proposed legislation would create tax credits for family caregiversHospice News, by Jim Parker; 2/23/24A bill to strengthen support for family caregivers is working its way through Congress. If enacted, it would create tax credits to help offset the financial burdens of caring for the seriously ill. ... The nation’s health care system is lacking in support for caregivers of the terminally ill, who are often left with a heavy financial and logistical burden. Without assistance or relief, these difficulties can impede access to hospice and other types of home-based care.

PERSPECTIVE: Nurses, too, must do no harmColorado Springs Gazette, by Kathryn Palermo; 2/25/24Two decades ago, our family faced an experience that would forever shape my perspective on life, choices, and the importance of time in making profound decisions. ... Reflecting on this experience, I cannot help but draw parallels to the potential consequences of the changes proposed by the Legislature to expand physician-assisted death. In our case, time was a crucial factor in making informed decisions that preserved life and allowed for unexpected recovery. As a nursing professional and a family member who experienced a life-altering event, I am opposed to the newly introduced “Medical Aid-in-Dying” bill in the Colorado Senate, SB24-0068, expanding physician-assisted suicide.Editor's Note: The views expressed are those of the author. Hospice & Palliative Care Today seeks to present articles of highest integrity and quality information, especially when reporting on controversial issues. This author presents these expertly from her perspective. While this author defines "the" Christian perspective, this editor supports that hospice and palliative care leaders and patients/families embrace a broader scope of religious beliefs, both within Christianity and inclusive of non-Christian faith systems. Whatever the reader's perspective, this editor invites you to read this insightful article with an open mind of respect, learning, and ethical dialogue.Publisher's note: On 1/31/24, Hospice & Palliative Care Today ran a Denver Post article announcing and supporting SB24-0068. Today's article from the Colorado Springs Gazette opposes this bill.

House of Delegates considering SB 280, Medical Aid in Dying The Connection to Your Community, by Mercia Hobson; 2/20/24Virginia is a battleground state within itself. State legislators are fiercely divided concerning proposed legislation, SB 280. If passed, it would allow an eligible adult diagnosed with a terminal disease to request an attending health care provider to prescribe a fatal dose of a controlled substance to be self-administered for the purpose of ending the patient's life. Senate Bill 280, one of the two Virginia bills concerning Death with Dignity, passed passed the Senate. Its companion, House Bill 858, which was originally "put on hold for the day," failed in committee.

[Nebraska] New polling finds 70% support for legalizing medical cannabisNebraska Examiner, by Paul Hammel; 2/19/24New polling found that 70% of respondents are ready to legalize medical marijuana in Nebraska and that a majority of those responding want to approve a novel alternative to property, sales and income taxes.

Legislative committees shape the future: Pivotal decisions and societal impactBNN, by Sakchi Khandelwai; 2/16/24Pivotal decisions on medical aid in dying [and] drug consumption sites ... highlight their societal impact. Ongoin reforms empower committees, strengthening the democratic process.

OBI says proposed bill would improve quality of life for at-home hospice patientsNews on 6; 2/16/24Our Blood Institute is bringing awareness to an Oklahoma Senate Bill it says would improve the quality of life for at-home hospice patients. The OBI said Senate Bill 2186 would make access to blood transfusions easier for end-of-life patients who receive care at home. 

Could Illinois become a ‘right to die' state? The latest on a newly proposed billNBC 5 Chicago; 2/13/24A newly introduced bill in Illinois could make the state the latest so-called "right to die" state in the U.S., if it is passed. The proposed legislation, SB3499, would create end-of-life options for the Terminally Ill Patients Act in Illinois.

Legislative proposal on end-of-life options: The MMA’s take (February 2024) Minnesota Medical Association; 2/12/24Among the many important issuesthat the Minnesota Legislature will consider this year,at least one is expected to generate significant passions both in support and in opposition. That proposal, known as the End-of-Life Option Act, addressesa practice referred to as medical aid-in-dying or, for some, assisted suicide. It is a proposal that merits scrutiny and robust deliberation.

5 recent MAID articles

Over 70% of New Yorkers favor Medical Aid in Dying bill, new poll finds City & State New York, by Rebecca C. Lewis; 2/8/24 A new poll commissioned by the groups Death With Dignity and the Completed Life Initiative found that a majority of New Yorkers – over 70% – favor legislation that would permit doctors to prescribe terminally ill patients medication to end their own lives. Patient protections are major concern at emotional hearing on medical aid-in-dying bill Maryland Matters, by Danielle J. Brown; 2/9/24 There have been prior attempts to pass aid-in-dying bills in Maryland, while 10 other states and Washington, D.C. have passed similar legislation. Publisher's note: Discussion of Maryland's SB 443 and HB 403. Both bills are titled the “End-of-Life Option Act (The Honorable Elijah E. Cummings and the Honorable Shane E. Pendergrass Act).” End of Life Act again proposed in Maryland, lawmakers believe it could pass this year WBALTV-11, by David Collins; 2/8/24 More than 100 people signed up Thursday to testify for and against Maryland's End of Life Option Act, which would legalize medical aid in dying. Lawmakers have tried for years to pass the legislation, but supporters believe the political climate has changed and this is the year it will pass. Should Illinois become 11th state to adopt 'right to die' legislation? Chicago Sun-Times, by Tina Sfondeles; 2/9/24 Illinois Senate Democrats are moving forward on legislation that would give mentally capable patients who are terminally ill an option of ending their own lives. Should treatment for severe mental illness include medical assistance in dying? The Hill, by Anand Kumar, Sally Weinstein; 2/9/24 Canada is on the threshold of enacting a law that would make medical assistance in dying (MAiD) accessible to people whose only medical condition is mental illness. If this were to pass, Canada would be one of only a handful of countries to extend that process for patients with serious mental illness.