Bipartisan lawmakers are urging HHS and CMS to establish reporting requirements around physician-assisted suicide in hospice settings, citing concerns about coercion, discrimination, and patient safety. A letter signed by senators and representatives from both parties calls for monitoring of vulnerable populations — including the elderly and disabled — to ensure end-of-life care remains free from undue pressure.
A bipartisan group of U.S. lawmakers — including Senators James Lankford (R-OK) and Tim Kaine (D-VA) — sent a letter to HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and CMS Administrator Mehmet Oz urging federal oversight of physician-assisted suicide (also known as medical aid in dying, or MAID) within hospice programs. The lawmakers argue that because the vast majority of patients who receive MAID are enrolled in hospice, there's a pressing need for guardrails to prevent discrimination and coercion against vulnerable populations.
The letter calls on HHS and CMS to establish formal reporting requirements covering a range of concerns — from discriminatory practices targeting the elderly and disabled, to insurance companies denying life-sustaining care while offering to cover MAID drugs instead. The AMA, for its part, continues to formally oppose physician-assisted suicide and recently voted to retain that stance.
Key Takeaways:
Why it matters: With state laws on MAID varying widely and no federal legislation in place, this push for federal reporting requirements could mark a significant step toward standardized oversight — shaping how end-of-life care is delivered and monitored across the country.
