Lawmakers urge stricter hospice reporting on medically assisted suicide

A bipartisan group of members of Congress sent a letter Thursday asking the health and human services secretary to establish stricter hospice reporting rules for medically assisted suicide. The letter warns that older adults, people with disabilities, and patients with disaffected caregivers face particular risk of pressure to end their lives.

It requests monitoring of insurance practices that deny life-sustaining care while covering physician-assisted suicide drugs, and checks on compliance with federal restrictions that bar using federal funds for such services.

Background on state laws and eligibility Medically assisted suicide is legal in 13 states and the District of Columbia. Eligible patients are adults with a terminal illness and a prognosis of six months or less who self-administer prescribed lethal medication.

The letter states that witness requirements may fail to protect elderly patients from financial abuse when witnesses stand to benefit from the patient's death through wills or life insurance.

Data and concerns cited The non-profit organization Aging With Dignity reported in March that at least 14,446 Americans have died by physician-assisted suicide since 1997. The letter notes that many individuals with disabilities warn that legalization sends the message that the lives of persons with disabilities are less valued in society.