Bill Text: IL SB3499 | 2023-2024 | 103rd General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: Creates the End-of-Life Options for Terminally Ill Patients Act. Authorizes a qualified patient with a terminal disease to request that a physician prescribe aid-in-dying medication that will allow the patient to end the patient's life in a peaceful manner. Contains provisions concerning: the procedures and forms to be used to request aid-in-dying medication; the responsibilities of attending and consulting physicians; the referral of patients for determinations of mental capacity; the residency of qualified patients; the safe disposal of unused medications; the obligations of health care entities; the immunities granted for actions taken in good faith reliance upon the Act; the reporting requirements of physicians; the effect of the Act on the construction of wills, contracts, and statutes; the effect of the Act on insurance policies and annuities; the procedures for the completion of death certificates; the liabilities and penalties provided by the Act; the construction of the Act; the definitions of terms used in the Act; and other matters. Effective 6 months after becoming law.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 9-0)
Status: (Failed) 2025-01-07 - Session Sine Die [SB3499 Detail]
Download: Illinois-2023-SB3499-Introduced.html
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1 | AN ACT concerning health.
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2 | Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, | |||||||||||||||||||
3 | represented in the General Assembly:
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4 | Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the | |||||||||||||||||||
5 | End-of-Life Options for Terminally Ill Patients Act.
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6 | Section 5. Definitions. As used in this Act: | |||||||||||||||||||
7 | "Adult" means an individual 18 years of age or older. | |||||||||||||||||||
8 | "Advanced practice registered nurse" means an advanced | |||||||||||||||||||
9 | practice registered nurse licensed under the Nurse Practice | |||||||||||||||||||
10 | Act who is certified as a psychiatric mental health | |||||||||||||||||||
11 | practitioner. | |||||||||||||||||||
12 | "Aid in dying" means an end-of-life care option that | |||||||||||||||||||
13 | allows a qualified patient to obtain a prescription for | |||||||||||||||||||
14 | medication pursuant to this Act. | |||||||||||||||||||
15 | "Attending physician" means the physician who has primary | |||||||||||||||||||
16 | responsibility for the care of the patient and treatment of | |||||||||||||||||||
17 | the patient's terminal disease. | |||||||||||||||||||
18 | "Clinical psychologist" means a psychologist licensed | |||||||||||||||||||
19 | under the Clinical Psychologist Licensing Act. | |||||||||||||||||||
20 | "Clinical social worker" means a person licensed under the | |||||||||||||||||||
21 | Clinical Social Work and Social Work Practice Act. | |||||||||||||||||||
22 | "Coercion or undue influence" means the willful attempt, | |||||||||||||||||||
23 | whether by deception, intimidation, or any other means to: |
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1 | (1) cause a patient to request, obtain, or | ||||||
2 | self-administer medication pursuant to this Act with | ||||||
3 | intent to cause the death of the patient; or | ||||||
4 | (2) prevent a qualified patient, in a manner that | ||||||
5 | conflicts with the Health Care Right of Conscience Act, | ||||||
6 | from obtaining or self-administering medication pursuant | ||||||
7 | to this Act. | ||||||
8 | "Consulting physician" means a physician who is qualified | ||||||
9 | by specialty or experience to make a professional diagnosis | ||||||
10 | and prognosis regarding the patient's disease. | ||||||
11 | "Department" means the Department of Public Health. | ||||||
12 | "Health care entity" means a hospital or hospital | ||||||
13 | affiliate, nursing home, hospice or any other facility | ||||||
14 | licensed under any of the following Acts: the Ambulatory | ||||||
15 | Surgical Treatment Center Act; the Home Health, Home Services, | ||||||
16 | and Home Nursing Agency Licensing Act; the Hospice Program | ||||||
17 | Licensing Act; the Hospital Licensing Act; the Nursing Home | ||||||
18 | Care Act; or the University of Illinois Hospital Act. "Health | ||||||
19 | care entity" does not include a physician. | ||||||
20 | "Health care professional" means a physician, pharmacist, | ||||||
21 | or licensed mental health professional. | ||||||
22 | "Informed decision" means a decision by a patient with | ||||||
23 | mental capacity and a terminal disease to request and obtain a | ||||||
24 | prescription for medication pursuant to this Act, that the | ||||||
25 | qualified patient may self-administer to bring about a | ||||||
26 | peaceful death, after being fully informed by the attending |
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1 | physician and consulting physician of: | ||||||
2 | (1) the patient's diagnosis and prognosis; | ||||||
3 | (2) the potential risks and benefits associated with | ||||||
4 | taking the medication to be prescribed; | ||||||
5 | (3) the probable result of taking the medication to be | ||||||
6 | prescribed; | ||||||
7 | (4) the feasible end-of-life care and treatment | ||||||
8 | options for the patient's terminal disease, including, but | ||||||
9 | not limited to, comfort care, palliative care, hospice | ||||||
10 | care, and pain control, and the risks and benefits of | ||||||
11 | each; | ||||||
12 | (5) the patient's right to withdraw a request pursuant | ||||||
13 | this Act, or consent for any other treatment, at any time; | ||||||
14 | and | ||||||
15 | (6) the patient's right to choose not to obtain the | ||||||
16 | drug or to choose to obtain the drug but not to ingest it. | ||||||
17 | "Licensed mental health care professional" means a | ||||||
18 | psychiatrist, clinical psychologist, clinical social worker, | ||||||
19 | or advanced practice registered nurse. | ||||||
20 | "Mental capacity" means that, in the opinion of the | ||||||
21 | attending physician or the consulting physician or, if the | ||||||
22 | opinion of a licensed mental health care professional is | ||||||
23 | required under Section 40, the licensed mental health care | ||||||
24 | professional, the patient requesting medication pursuant to | ||||||
25 | this Act has the ability to make and communicate an informed | ||||||
26 | decision. |
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1 | "Oral request" means an affirmative statement that | ||||||
2 | demonstrates a contemporaneous affirmatively stated desire by | ||||||
3 | the patient seeking aid in dying. | ||||||
4 | "Pharmacist" means an individual licensed to engage in the | ||||||
5 | practice of pharmacy under the Pharmacy Practice Act. | ||||||
6 | "Physician" means a person licensed to practice medicine | ||||||
7 | in all of its branches under the Medical Practice Act of 1987. | ||||||
8 | "Psychiatrist" means a physician who has successfully | ||||||
9 | completed a residency program in psychiatry accredited by | ||||||
10 | either the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical | ||||||
11 | Education or the American Osteopathic Association. | ||||||
12 | "Qualified patient" means an adult Illinois resident with | ||||||
13 | the mental capacity to make medical decisions who has | ||||||
14 | satisfied the requirements of this Act in order to obtain a | ||||||
15 | prescription for medication to bring about a peaceful death. | ||||||
16 | No person will be considered a "qualified patient" under this | ||||||
17 | Act solely because of advanced age, disability, or a mental | ||||||
18 | health condition, including depression. | ||||||
19 | "Self-administer" means an affirmative, conscious, | ||||||
20 | voluntary action, performed by a qualified patient, to ingest | ||||||
21 | medication prescribed pursuant to this Act to bring about the | ||||||
22 | patient's peaceful death. Self-administration does not include | ||||||
23 | administration by parenteral injection or infusion. | ||||||
24 | "Terminal disease" means an incurable and irreversible | ||||||
25 | disease that will, within reasonable medical judgment, result | ||||||
26 | in death within 6 months. The existence of a terminal disease, |
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1 | as determined after in-person examination by the patient's | ||||||
2 | physician and concurrence by another physician, shall be | ||||||
3 | documented in writing in the patient's medical record. A | ||||||
4 | diagnosis of a major depressive disorder, as defined in the | ||||||
5 | current edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of | ||||||
6 | Mental Disorders, alone does not qualify as a terminal | ||||||
7 | disease.
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8 | Section 10. Informed consent. | ||||||
9 | (a) Nothing in this Act may be construed to limit the | ||||||
10 | amount of information provided to a patient to ensure the | ||||||
11 | patient can make a fully informed health care decision. | ||||||
12 | (b) An attending physician must provide sufficient | ||||||
13 | information to a patient regarding all appropriate end-of-life | ||||||
14 | care options, including comfort care, hospice care, palliative | ||||||
15 | care, and pain control, as well as the foreseeable risks and | ||||||
16 | benefits of each, so that the patient can make a voluntary and | ||||||
17 | affirmative decision regarding the patient's end-of-life care. | ||||||
18 | (c) If a patient requests for the patient's medical | ||||||
19 | records to be transmitted to an alternative physician, the | ||||||
20 | patient's medical records shall be transmitted without undue | ||||||
21 | delay.
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22 | Section 15. Standard of care. Nothing contained in this | ||||||
23 | Act shall be interpreted to lower the applicable standard of | ||||||
24 | care for the health care professionals participating under |
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1 | this Act.
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2 | Section 20. Qualification. | ||||||
3 | (a) A qualified patient with a terminal disease may | ||||||
4 | request a prescription for medication under this Act in the | ||||||
5 | following manner: | ||||||
6 | (1) The qualified patient may orally request a | ||||||
7 | prescription for medication under this Act from the | ||||||
8 | patient's attending physician. | ||||||
9 | (2) The oral request from the qualified patient shall | ||||||
10 | be documented by the attending physician. | ||||||
11 | (3) The qualified patient shall provide a written | ||||||
12 | request in accordance with this Act to the patient's | ||||||
13 | attending physician after making the initial oral request. | ||||||
14 | (4) The qualified patient shall repeat the oral | ||||||
15 | request to the patient's attending physician no less than | ||||||
16 | 5 days after making the initial oral request. | ||||||
17 | (b) The attending and consulting physicians of a qualified | ||||||
18 | patient shall have met all the requirements of Sections 30 and | ||||||
19 | 35. | ||||||
20 | (c) Notwithstanding subsection (a), if the individual's | ||||||
21 | attending physician has medically determined that the | ||||||
22 | individual will, within reasonable medical judgment, die | ||||||
23 | within 5 days after making the initial oral request under this | ||||||
24 | Section, the individual may satisfy the requirements of this | ||||||
25 | Section by providing a written request and reiterating the |
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1 | oral request to the attending physician at any time after | ||||||
2 | making the initial oral request. | ||||||
3 | (d) At the time the patient makes the second oral request, | ||||||
4 | the attending physician shall offer the patient an opportunity | ||||||
5 | to rescind the request. | ||||||
6 | (e) Oral and written requests for aid in dying may be made | ||||||
7 | only by the patient and shall not be made by the patient's | ||||||
8 | surrogate decision-maker, health care proxy, health care | ||||||
9 | agent, attorney-in-fact for health care, nor via advance | ||||||
10 | health care directive. | ||||||
11 | (f) If a requesting patient decides to transfer care to an | ||||||
12 | alternative physician, the records custodian shall, upon | ||||||
13 | written request, transmit, without undue delay, the patient's | ||||||
14 | medical records, including written documentation of the dates | ||||||
15 | of the patient's requests concerning aid in dying. | ||||||
16 | (g) A transfer of care or medical records does not toll or | ||||||
17 | restart any waiting period.
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18 | Section 25. Form of written request. | ||||||
19 | (a) A written request for medication under this Act shall | ||||||
20 | be in substantially the form below, signed and dated by the | ||||||
21 | requesting patient, and witnessed in the presence of the | ||||||
22 | patient by at least 2 witnesses who attest that to the best of | ||||||
23 | their knowledge and belief the patient has mental capacity, is | ||||||
24 | acting voluntarily, and is not being coerced or unduly | ||||||
25 | influenced to sign the request. |
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1 | (b) One of the witnesses required under this Section must | ||||||
2 | be a person who is not: | ||||||
3 | (1) a relative of the patient by blood, marriage, | ||||||
4 | civil union, registered domestic partnership, or adoption; | ||||||
5 | (2) a person who, at the time the request is signed, | ||||||
6 | would be entitled to any portion of the estate of the | ||||||
7 | qualified patient upon death, under any will or by | ||||||
8 | operation of law; or | ||||||
9 | (3) an owner, operator, or employee of a health care | ||||||
10 | entity where the qualified patient is receiving medical | ||||||
11 | treatment or is a resident. | ||||||
12 | (c) The patient's attending physician at the time the | ||||||
13 | request is signed shall not be a witness. | ||||||
14 | (d) If a person uses an interpreter, the interpreter shall | ||||||
15 | not be a witness. | ||||||
16 | (e) The written request for medication under this Act | ||||||
17 | shall be substantially as follows:
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18 | "Request for Medication to End My Life in a Peaceful Manner | ||||||
19 | I, ............... (insert name of patient), am an adult | ||||||
20 | of sound mind, and a resident of Illinois. I have been | ||||||
21 | diagnosed with ..............., (insert name of condition) and | ||||||
22 | given a terminal disease prognosis of 6 months or less to live | ||||||
23 | by my attending physician. | ||||||
24 | I affirm that my terminal disease diagnosis was given or |
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1 | confirmed during at least one in-person visit to a health care | ||||||
2 | professional. | ||||||
3 | I have been fully informed of the feasible alternatives | ||||||
4 | and concurrent or additional treatment opportunities for my | ||||||
5 | terminal disease, including, but not limited to, comfort care, | ||||||
6 | palliative care, hospice care, or pain control, as well as the | ||||||
7 | potential risks and benefits of each. I have been offered, | ||||||
8 | have received, or have been offered and received resources or | ||||||
9 | referrals to pursue these alternatives and concurrent or | ||||||
10 | additional treatment opportunities for my terminal disease. | ||||||
11 | I have been fully informed of the nature of the medication | ||||||
12 | to be prescribed, including the risks and benefits, and I | ||||||
13 | understand that the likely outcome of self-administering the | ||||||
14 | medication is death. | ||||||
15 | I understand that I can rescind this request at any time, | ||||||
16 | that I am under no obligation to fill the prescription once | ||||||
17 | written, and that I have no duty to self-administer the | ||||||
18 | medication if I obtain it. | ||||||
19 | I request that my attending physician furnish a | ||||||
20 | prescription for medication that will end my life if I choose | ||||||
21 | to self-administer it, and I authorize my attending physician | ||||||
22 | to transmit the prescription to a pharmacist to dispense the | ||||||
23 | medication at a time of my choosing. | ||||||
24 | I make this request voluntarily, free from coercion or | ||||||
25 | undue influence. | ||||||
26 | Dated: ................ |
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1 | Signed .................................. | ||||||
2 | (patient) | ||||||
3 | Dated: ................ | ||||||
4 | Signed ............................... | ||||||
5 | (witness #1) | ||||||
6 | Dated: ................ | ||||||
7 | Signed .............................. | ||||||
8 | (witness #2)" | ||||||
9 | (f) The interpreter attachment for a written request for | ||||||
10 | medication under this Act shall be substantially as follows:
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11 | "Request for Medication to End My Life in a Peaceful Manner | ||||||
12 | Interpreter Attachment | ||||||
13 | I, ...............(insert name of interpreter), am fluent | ||||||
14 | in English and ...............(insert language of patient, | ||||||
15 | including sign language). | ||||||
16 | On .......(insert date) at approximately .......(insert | ||||||
17 | time), I read the "Request for Medication to End My Life in a | ||||||
18 | Peaceful Manner" form to ...............(insert name of | ||||||
19 | patient) in ...............(insert language of patient). | ||||||
20 | ...............(insert name of patient) affirmed to me | ||||||
21 | that they understand the content of this form, that they | ||||||
22 | desire to sign this form under their own power and volition, | ||||||
23 | and that they requested to sign the form after consultations |
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1 | with an attending physician and a consulting physician. | ||||||
2 | Under penalty of perjury, I declare that I am fluent in | ||||||
3 | English and ...............(language of patient, including | ||||||
4 | sign language) and that the contents of this form, to the best | ||||||
5 | of my knowledge, are true and correct. Executed at | ||||||
6 | ..................................(insert name of city, | ||||||
7 | county, and state) on .......(date). | ||||||
8 | Interpreter's signature: .................................... | ||||||
9 | Interpreter's printed name: ................................. | ||||||
10 | Interpreter's address: ......................................".
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11 | Section 30. Attending physician responsibilities. | ||||||
12 | (a) Following the request of a patient for aid in dying, | ||||||
13 | the attending physician shall conduct an evaluation of the | ||||||
14 | patient and: | ||||||
15 | (1) determine whether the patient has a terminal | ||||||
16 | disease or has been diagnosed as having a terminal | ||||||
17 | disease; | ||||||
18 | (2) determine whether a patient has mental capacity; | ||||||
19 | (3) confirm that the patient's request does not arise | ||||||
20 | from coercion or undue influence; | ||||||
21 | (4) inform the patient of: | ||||||
22 | (A) the diagnosis; | ||||||
23 | (B) the prognosis; | ||||||
24 | (C) the potential risks, benefits, and probable | ||||||
25 | result of self-administering the prescribed medication |
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1 | to bring about a peaceful death; | ||||||
2 | (D) the potential benefits and risks of feasible | ||||||
3 | alternatives, including, but not limited to, | ||||||
4 | concurrent or additional treatment options for the | ||||||
5 | patient's terminal disease, comfort care, palliative | ||||||
6 | care, hospice care, and pain control; and | ||||||
7 | (E) the patient's right to rescind the request for | ||||||
8 | medication pursuant to this Act at any time; | ||||||
9 | (5) inform the patient that there is no obligation to | ||||||
10 | fill the prescription nor an obligation to self-administer | ||||||
11 | the medication, if it is obtained; | ||||||
12 | (6) provide the patient with a referral for comfort | ||||||
13 | care, palliative care, hospice care, pain control, or | ||||||
14 | other end-of-life treatment options as requested by the | ||||||
15 | patient and as clinically indicated; | ||||||
16 | (7) refer the patient to a consulting physician for | ||||||
17 | medical confirmation that the patient requesting | ||||||
18 | medication pursuant to this Act: | ||||||
19 | (A) has a terminal disease with a prognosis of 6 | ||||||
20 | months or less to live; and | ||||||
21 | (B) has mental capacity. | ||||||
22 | (8) include the consulting physician's written | ||||||
23 | determination in the patient's medical record; | ||||||
24 | (9) refer the patient to a licensed mental health | ||||||
25 | professional in accordance with Section 40 if the | ||||||
26 | attending physician observes signs that the individual may |
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1 | not be capable of making an informed decision; | ||||||
2 | (10) include the licensed mental health professional's | ||||||
3 | written determination in the patient's medical record, if | ||||||
4 | such determination was requested; | ||||||
5 | (11) inform the patient of the benefits of notifying | ||||||
6 | the next of kin of the patient's decision to request | ||||||
7 | medication pursuant to this Act; | ||||||
8 | (12) fulfill the medical record documentation | ||||||
9 | requirements; | ||||||
10 | (13) ensure that all steps are carried out in | ||||||
11 | accordance with this Act before providing a prescription | ||||||
12 | to a qualified patient for medication pursuant to this Act | ||||||
13 | including: | ||||||
14 | (A) confirming that the patient has made an | ||||||
15 | informed decision to obtain a prescription for | ||||||
16 | medication; | ||||||
17 | (B) offering the patient an opportunity to rescind | ||||||
18 | the request for medication; and | ||||||
19 | (C) providing information to the patient on: | ||||||
20 | (I) the recommended procedure for | ||||||
21 | self-administering the medication to be | ||||||
22 | prescribed; | ||||||
23 | (II) the safekeeping and proper disposal of | ||||||
24 | unused medication in accordance with State and | ||||||
25 | federal law; and | ||||||
26 | (III) the importance of having another person |
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1 | present when the patient self-administers the | ||||||
2 | medication to be prescribed; | ||||||
3 | (D) not taking the aid-in-dying medication in a | ||||||
4 | public place; | ||||||
5 | (14) deliver, in accordance with State and federal | ||||||
6 | law, the prescription personally, by mail, or through an | ||||||
7 | authorized electronic transmission to a licensed | ||||||
8 | pharmacist who will dispense the medication, including any | ||||||
9 | ancillary medications, to the qualified patient, or to a | ||||||
10 | person expressly designated by the qualified patient in | ||||||
11 | person or with a signature required on delivery, by mail | ||||||
12 | service, or by messenger service; | ||||||
13 | (15) if authorized by the Drug Enforcement | ||||||
14 | Administration, dispense the prescribed medication, | ||||||
15 | including any ancillary medications, to the qualified | ||||||
16 | patient or a person designated by the qualified patient; | ||||||
17 | and | ||||||
18 | (16) include, in the qualified patient's medical | ||||||
19 | record, the patient's diagnosis and prognosis, | ||||||
20 | determination of mental capacity, the date of each oral | ||||||
21 | request, a copy of the written request, a notation that | ||||||
22 | the requirements under this Section have been completed, | ||||||
23 | and an identification of the medication and ancillary | ||||||
24 | medications prescribed to the qualified patient pursuant | ||||||
25 | to this Act. | ||||||
26 | (b) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the |
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1 | attending physician may sign the patient's death certificate.
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2 | Section 35. Consulting physician responsibilities. A | ||||||
3 | consulting physician shall: | ||||||
4 | (1) conduct an evaluation of the patient and review | ||||||
5 | the patient's relevant medical records, including the | ||||||
6 | evaluation pursuant to Section 40, if such evaluation was | ||||||
7 | necessary; | ||||||
8 | (2) confirm in writing to the attending physician that | ||||||
9 | the patient: | ||||||
10 | (A) has requested a prescription for aid-in-dying | ||||||
11 | medication; | ||||||
12 | (B) has a documented terminal disease; | ||||||
13 | (C) has mental capacity or has provided | ||||||
14 | documentation that the consulting health care | ||||||
15 | professional has referred the individual for further | ||||||
16 | evaluation in accordance with Section 40; and | ||||||
17 | (D) is acting voluntarily, free from coercion or | ||||||
18 | undue influence.
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19 | Section 40. Referral for determination that the requesting | ||||||
20 | patient has mental capacity. | ||||||
21 | (a) If either the attending physician or the consulting | ||||||
22 | physician has doubts whether the individual has mental | ||||||
23 | capacity and if either one is unable to confirm that the | ||||||
24 | individual is capable of making an informed decision, the |
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1 | attending physician or consulting physician shall refer the | ||||||
2 | patient to a licensed mental health professional for | ||||||
3 | determination regarding mental capability. | ||||||
4 | (b) The licensed mental health professional shall | ||||||
5 | additionally determine whether the patient is suffering from a | ||||||
6 | psychiatric or psychological disorder causing impaired | ||||||
7 | judgment. | ||||||
8 | (c) The licensed mental health professional who evaluates | ||||||
9 | the patient under this Section shall submit to the requesting | ||||||
10 | attending or consulting physician a written determination of | ||||||
11 | whether the patient has mental capacity. | ||||||
12 | (d) If the licensed mental health professional determines | ||||||
13 | that the patient does not have mental capacity, or is | ||||||
14 | suffering from a psychiatric or psychological disorder causing | ||||||
15 | impaired judgment, the patient shall not be deemed a qualified | ||||||
16 | patient and the attending physician shall not prescribe | ||||||
17 | medication to the patient under this Act.
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18 | Section 45. Residency requirement. | ||||||
19 | (a) Only requests made by Illinois residents may be | ||||||
20 | granted under this Act. | ||||||
21 | (b) A patient is able to establish residency through any | ||||||
22 | one or more of the following means: | ||||||
23 | (1) possession of a driver's license or other | ||||||
24 | identification issued by the Secretary of State or State | ||||||
25 | of Illinois; |
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1 | (2) registration to vote in Illinois; | ||||||
2 | (3) evidence that the person owns, rents, or leases | ||||||
3 | property in Illinois; | ||||||
4 | (4) the location of any dwelling occupied by the | ||||||
5 | person; | ||||||
6 | (5) the place where any motor vehicle owned by the | ||||||
7 | person is registered; | ||||||
8 | (6) the residence address, not a post office box, | ||||||
9 | shown on an income tax return filed for the year preceding | ||||||
10 | the year in which the person initially makes an oral | ||||||
11 | request under this Act; | ||||||
12 | (7) the residence address, not a post office box, at | ||||||
13 | which the person's mail is received; | ||||||
14 | (8) the residence address, not a post office box, | ||||||
15 | shown on any unexpired resident hunting or fishing or | ||||||
16 | other licenses held by the person; | ||||||
17 | (9) the residence address, not a post office box, | ||||||
18 | shown on any driver's license held by the person; | ||||||
19 | (10) the receipt of any public benefit conditioned | ||||||
20 | upon residency; or | ||||||
21 | (11) any other objective facts tending to indicate a | ||||||
22 | person's place of residence is in Illinois.
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23 | Section 50. Safe disposal of unused medications. A person | ||||||
24 | who has custody or control of medication prescribed pursuant | ||||||
25 | to this Act after the qualified patient's death shall dispose |
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1 | of the medication by delivering it to the nearest qualified | ||||||
2 | facility that properly disposes of controlled substances or, | ||||||
3 | if none is available, by lawful means in accordance with | ||||||
4 | applicable State and federal guidelines.
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5 | Section 55. No duty to provide aid in dying. | ||||||
6 | (a) A health care professional shall not be under any | ||||||
7 | duty, by law or contract, to participate in the provision of | ||||||
8 | aid-in-dying care to a patient as set forth in this Act. | ||||||
9 | (b) A health care professional shall not be subject to | ||||||
10 | civil or criminal liability for participating or refusing to | ||||||
11 | participate in the provision of aid-in-dying care to a patient | ||||||
12 | in good faith compliance with this Act. | ||||||
13 | (c) A health care entity or licensing board shall not | ||||||
14 | subject a health care professional to censure, discipline, | ||||||
15 | suspension, loss of license, loss of privileges, loss of | ||||||
16 | membership, or other penalty for participating or refusing to | ||||||
17 | participate in accordance with this Act. | ||||||
18 | (d) A health care professional may choose not to engage in | ||||||
19 | aid-in-dying care. | ||||||
20 | (e) Only willing health care professionals shall provide | ||||||
21 | aid-in-dying care in accordance with this Act. If a health | ||||||
22 | care professional is unable or unwilling to carry out a | ||||||
23 | patient's request under this Act, and the patient transfers | ||||||
24 | the patient's care to a new health care professional, the | ||||||
25 | prior health care professional shall transmit, upon request, a |
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1 | copy of the patient's relevant medical records to the new | ||||||
2 | health care professional without undue delay. | ||||||
3 | (f) A health care professional shall not engage in false, | ||||||
4 | misleading, or deceptive practices relating to a willingness | ||||||
5 | to qualify a patient or provide aid-in-dying care. | ||||||
6 | Intentionally misleading a patient constitutes coercion. | ||||||
7 | (g) The provisions of the Health Care Right of Conscience | ||||||
8 | Act apply to this Act and are incorporated by reference.
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9 | Section 60. Health care entity permissible prohibitions | ||||||
10 | and duties. | ||||||
11 | (a) A health care entity may prohibit health care | ||||||
12 | professionals from practicing aid-in-dying care while | ||||||
13 | performing duties for the entity. A prohibiting entity must | ||||||
14 | provide advance notice in writing to health care professionals | ||||||
15 | and staff at the time of hiring, contracting with, or | ||||||
16 | privileging and on a yearly basis thereafter. | ||||||
17 | (b) If a patient wishes to transfer care to another health | ||||||
18 | care entity, the prohibiting entity shall coordinate a timely | ||||||
19 | transfer of care, including transmitting, without undue delay, | ||||||
20 | the patient's medical records that include notation of the | ||||||
21 | date the patient first made a request concerning aid-in-dying | ||||||
22 | care. | ||||||
23 | (c) No health care entity shall prohibit a health care | ||||||
24 | professional from: | ||||||
25 | (1) providing information to a patient regarding the |
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1 | patient's health status, including, but not limited to, | ||||||
2 | diagnosis, prognosis, recommended treatment and treatment | ||||||
3 | alternatives, and the risks and benefits of each; | ||||||
4 | (2) providing information regarding health care | ||||||
5 | services available pursuant to this Act, information about | ||||||
6 | relevant community resources, and how to access those | ||||||
7 | resources for obtaining care of the patient's choice; | ||||||
8 | (3) practicing aid-in-dying care outside the scope of | ||||||
9 | the health care professional's employment or contract with | ||||||
10 | the prohibiting entity and off the premises of the | ||||||
11 | prohibiting entity; or | ||||||
12 | (4) being present, if outside the scope of the health | ||||||
13 | care professional's employment or contractual duties, when | ||||||
14 | a qualified patient self-administers medication prescribed | ||||||
15 | pursuant to this Act or at the time of death, if requested | ||||||
16 | by the qualified patient or their representative. | ||||||
17 | (d) A health care entity shall not engage in false, | ||||||
18 | misleading, or deceptive practices relating to its policy | ||||||
19 | around end-of-life care services, including whether it has a | ||||||
20 | policy that prohibits affiliated health care professionals | ||||||
21 | from practicing aid-in-dying care; or intentionally denying a | ||||||
22 | patient access to medication pursuant to this Act by | ||||||
23 | intentionally failing to transfer a patient and the patient's | ||||||
24 | medical records to another health care professional in a | ||||||
25 | timely manner. Intentionally misleading a patient or deploying | ||||||
26 | misinformation to obstruct access to services pursuant to this |
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1 | Act constitutes coercion or undue influence. | ||||||
2 | (e) The provisions of the Health Care Right of Conscience | ||||||
3 | Act apply to this Act and are incorporated by reference. | ||||||
4 | (f) If any part of this Section is found to be in conflict | ||||||
5 | with federal requirements which are a prescribed condition to | ||||||
6 | receipt of federal funds, the conflicting part of this Section | ||||||
7 | is inoperative solely to the extent of the conflict with | ||||||
8 | respect to the entity directly affected, and such finding or | ||||||
9 | determination shall not affect the operation of the remainder | ||||||
10 | of the Section or this Act.
| ||||||
11 | Section 65. Immunities for actions in good faith; | ||||||
12 | prohibition against reprisals. | ||||||
13 | (a) A health care professional or health care entity shall | ||||||
14 | not be subject to civil or criminal liability, licensing | ||||||
15 | sanctions, or other professional disciplinary action for | ||||||
16 | actions taken in good faith compliance with this Act. | ||||||
17 | (b) If a health care professional or health care entity is | ||||||
18 | unable or unwilling to carry out an individual's request for | ||||||
19 | aid in dying, the professional or entity shall, at a minimum: | ||||||
20 | (1) inform the individual of the professional's or | ||||||
21 | entity's inability or unwillingness; | ||||||
22 | (2) refer the individual either to a health care | ||||||
23 | professional who is able and willing to evaluate and | ||||||
24 | qualify the individual or to another individual or entity | ||||||
25 | to assist the requesting individual in seeking aid in |
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1 | dying, in accordance with the Health Care Right of | ||||||
2 | Conscience Act; and | ||||||
3 | (3) note, in the medical record, the individual's date | ||||||
4 | of request and health care professional's notice to the | ||||||
5 | individual of the health care professional's unwillingness | ||||||
6 | or inability to carry out the individual's request. | ||||||
7 | (c) A health care entity or licensing board shall not | ||||||
8 | subject a health care professional to censure, discipline, | ||||||
9 | suspension, loss of license, loss of privileges, loss of | ||||||
10 | membership, or other penalty for engaging in good faith | ||||||
11 | compliance with this Act. | ||||||
12 | (d) A health care professional, health care entity, or | ||||||
13 | licensing board shall not subject a health care professional | ||||||
14 | to discharge, demotion, censure, discipline, suspension, loss | ||||||
15 | of license, loss of privileges, loss of membership, | ||||||
16 | discrimination, or any other penalty for providing | ||||||
17 | aid-in-dying care in accordance with the standard of care and | ||||||
18 | in good faith under this Act when: | ||||||
19 | (1) engaged in the outside practice of medicine and | ||||||
20 | off of the objecting health care entity's premises; or | ||||||
21 | (2) providing scientific and accurate information | ||||||
22 | about aid-in-dying care to a patient when discussing | ||||||
23 | end-of-life care options. | ||||||
24 | (e) A physician is not subject to civil or criminal | ||||||
25 | liability or professional discipline if, at the request of the | ||||||
26 | qualified patient, the physician is present outside the scope |
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1 | of the physician's employment contract and off the entity's | ||||||
2 | premises, when the qualified patient self-administers | ||||||
3 | medication pursuant to this Act, or at the time of death. | ||||||
4 | (f) A physician who is present at self-administration may, | ||||||
5 | without civil or criminal liability, assist the qualified | ||||||
6 | patient by preparing the medication prescribed pursuant to | ||||||
7 | this Act. | ||||||
8 | (g) A request by a patient for aid in dying does not alone | ||||||
9 | constitute grounds for neglect or elder abuse for any purpose | ||||||
10 | of law, nor shall it be the sole basis for appointment of a | ||||||
11 | guardian. | ||||||
12 | (h) This Section does not limit civil liability for | ||||||
13 | intentional misconduct.
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14 | Section 70. Reporting requirements. | ||||||
15 | (a) Within 45 days after the effective date of this Act, | ||||||
16 | the Department shall create and post to its website an | ||||||
17 | Attending Physician Checklist Form and Attending Physician | ||||||
18 | Follow-Up Form to facilitate collection of the information | ||||||
19 | described in this Section. Failure to create or post the | ||||||
20 | Attending Physician Checklist Form, the Attending Physician | ||||||
21 | Follow-Up Form, or both shall not suspend the effective date | ||||||
22 | of this Act. | ||||||
23 | (b) Within 30 calendar days of providing a prescription | ||||||
24 | for medication pursuant to this Act, the attending physician | ||||||
25 | shall submit to the Department an Attending Physician |
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1 | Checklist Form with the following information: | ||||||
2 | (1) the qualifying patient's name and date of birth; | ||||||
3 | (2) the qualifying patient's terminal diagnosis and | ||||||
4 | prognosis; | ||||||
5 | (3) notice that the requirements under this Act were | ||||||
6 | completed; and | ||||||
7 | (4) notice that medication has been prescribed | ||||||
8 | pursuant to this Act. | ||||||
9 | (c) Within 60 calendar days of notification of a qualified | ||||||
10 | patient's death from self-administration of medication | ||||||
11 | prescribed pursuant to this Act, the attending physician shall | ||||||
12 | submit to the Department, an Attending Physician Follow-Up | ||||||
13 | Form with the following information: | ||||||
14 | (1) the qualified patient's name and date of birth; | ||||||
15 | (2) the date of the qualified patient's death; and | ||||||
16 | (3) a notation of whether the qualified patient was | ||||||
17 | enrolled in hospice services at the time of the qualified | ||||||
18 | patient's death. | ||||||
19 | (d) The Department shall collect and annually review the | ||||||
20 | forms filed pursuant to Section to ensure compliance. If a | ||||||
21 | physician required to report information to the Department | ||||||
22 | under this Act provides an inadequate or incomplete report, | ||||||
23 | the Department shall contact the physician to request an | ||||||
24 | adequate or complete report. The information collected shall | ||||||
25 | be confidential and shall be collected in a manner that | ||||||
26 | protects the privacy of the patient, the patient's family, and |
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1 | any health care professional involved with the patient under | ||||||
2 | the provisions of this Act. The information shall be | ||||||
3 | privileged and strictly confidential, and shall not be | ||||||
4 | disclosed, discoverable, or compelled to be produced in any | ||||||
5 | civil, criminal, administrative, or other proceeding. | ||||||
6 | (e) One year after the effective date of this Act, and each | ||||||
7 | year thereafter, the Department shall create and post on its | ||||||
8 | website a public statistical report of nonidentifying | ||||||
9 | information. The report shall be limited to: | ||||||
10 | (1) the number of prescriptions for medication written | ||||||
11 | pursuant to this Act; | ||||||
12 | (2) the number of physicians who wrote prescriptions | ||||||
13 | for medication pursuant to this Act; | ||||||
14 | (3) the number of qualified patients who died | ||||||
15 | following self-administration of medication prescribed and | ||||||
16 | dispensed pursuant to this Act; and | ||||||
17 | (4) the number of people who died due to using an | ||||||
18 | aid-in-dying drug, with demographic percentages organized | ||||||
19 | by the following characteristics: | ||||||
20 | (A) age at death; | ||||||
21 | (B) education level; | ||||||
22 | (C) race; | ||||||
23 | (D) gender; | ||||||
24 | (E) type of insurance, including whether the | ||||||
25 | patient had insurance; | ||||||
26 | (F) underlying illness; and |
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1 | (G) enrollment in hospice. | ||||||
2 | (f) Except as otherwise required by law, the information | ||||||
3 | collected by the Department is not a public record and is not | ||||||
4 | available for public inspection. | ||||||
5 | (g) Willful failure or refusal to timely submit records | ||||||
6 | required under this Act may result in disciplinary action.
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7 | Section 75. Effect on construction of wills, contracts, | ||||||
8 | and statutes. | ||||||
9 | (a) No provision in a contract, will, or other agreement, | ||||||
10 | whether written or oral, that would determine whether a | ||||||
11 | patient may make or rescind a request pursuant to this Act is | ||||||
12 | valid. | ||||||
13 | (b) No obligation owing under any contract that is in | ||||||
14 | effect on the effective date of this Act shall be conditioned | ||||||
15 | or affected by a patient's act of making or rescinding a | ||||||
16 | request pursuant to this Act. | ||||||
17 | (c) It is unlawful for an insurer to deny or alter health | ||||||
18 | care benefits otherwise available to a patient with a terminal | ||||||
19 | disease based on the availability of aid-in-dying care or | ||||||
20 | otherwise attempt to coerce a patient with a terminal disease | ||||||
21 | to make a request for aid-in-dying medication.
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22 | Section 80. Insurance or annuity policies. | ||||||
23 | (a) The sale, procurement, or issuance of a life, health, | ||||||
24 | or accident insurance policy, annuity policy, or the rate |
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1 | charged for a policy shall not be conditioned upon or affected | ||||||
2 | by a patient's act of making or rescinding a request for | ||||||
3 | medication pursuant to this Act. | ||||||
4 | (b) A qualified patient's act of self-administering | ||||||
5 | medication pursuant to this Act does not invalidate any part | ||||||
6 | of a life, health, or accident insurance, or annuity policy. | ||||||
7 | (c) An insurance plan, including medical assistance under | ||||||
8 | Article V of the Illinois Public Aid Code, shall not deny or | ||||||
9 | alter benefits to a patient with a terminal disease who is a | ||||||
10 | covered beneficiary of a health insurance plan, based on the | ||||||
11 | availability of aid-in-dying care, their request for | ||||||
12 | medication pursuant to this Act, or the absence of a request | ||||||
13 | for medication pursuant to this Act. Failure to meet this | ||||||
14 | requirement shall constitute a violation of the Illinois | ||||||
15 | Insurance Code.
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16 | Section 85. Death certificate. | ||||||
17 | (a) Unless otherwise prohibited by law, the attending | ||||||
18 | physician may sign the death certificate of a qualified | ||||||
19 | patient who obtained and self-administered a prescription for | ||||||
20 | medication pursuant to this Act. | ||||||
21 | (b) When a death has occurred in accordance with this Act, | ||||||
22 | the death shall be attributed to the underlying terminal | ||||||
23 | disease. | ||||||
24 | (1) Death following self-administering medication | ||||||
25 | under this Act does not alone constitute grounds for |
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1 | postmortem inquiry. | ||||||
2 | (2) Death in accordance with this Act shall not be | ||||||
3 | designated a suicide or homicide. | ||||||
4 | (c) A qualified patient's act of self-administering | ||||||
5 | medication prescribed pursuant to this Act shall not be | ||||||
6 | indicated on the death certificate.
| ||||||
7 | Section 90. Liabilities and penalties. | ||||||
8 | (a) Nothing in this Act limits civil or criminal liability | ||||||
9 | arising from: | ||||||
10 | (1) Intentionally or knowingly altering or forging a | ||||||
11 | patient's request for medication pursuant to this Act or | ||||||
12 | concealing or destroying a rescission of a request for | ||||||
13 | medication pursuant to this Act. | ||||||
14 | (2) Intentionally or knowingly coercing or exerting | ||||||
15 | undue influence on a patient with a terminal disease to | ||||||
16 | request medication pursuant to this Act or to request or | ||||||
17 | use or not use medication pursuant to this Act. | ||||||
18 | (3) Intentional misconduct by a health care | ||||||
19 | professional or health care entity. | ||||||
20 | (b) The penalties specified in this Act do not preclude | ||||||
21 | criminal penalties applicable under other laws for conduct | ||||||
22 | inconsistent with this Act. | ||||||
23 | (c) As used in this Section, "intentionally" and | ||||||
24 | "knowingly" have the meanings provided in Sections 4-4 and 4-5 | ||||||
25 | of the Criminal Code of 2012.
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| |||||||
1 | Section 95. Construction. | ||||||
2 | (a) Nothing in this Act authorizes a physician or any | ||||||
3 | other person, including the qualified patient, to end the | ||||||
4 | qualified patient's life by lethal injection, lethal infusion, | ||||||
5 | mercy killing, homicide, murder, manslaughter, euthanasia, or | ||||||
6 | any other criminal act. | ||||||
7 | (b) Actions taken in accordance with this Act do not, for | ||||||
8 | any purposes, constitute suicide, assisted suicide, | ||||||
9 | euthanasia, mercy killing, homicide, murder, manslaughter, | ||||||
10 | elder abuse or neglect, or any other civil or criminal | ||||||
11 | violation under the law.
| ||||||
12 | Section 100. Severability. The provisions of this Act are | ||||||
13 | severable under Section 1.31 of the Statute on Statutes.
|