Laura
07-22-2011, 12:08 PM
NEWS FROM Assembly Health Committee Chair Richard N. Gottfried
822 Legislative Office Building, Albany, NY 12248 - Tel: 518-455-4941
250 Broadway, #2232, New York, NY10007 - Tel: 212-312-1492
GottfrR@assembly.state.ny.us
Contact: For Immediate Release:
Ryan Streeter 518-455-4941 Thursday, July 21, 2011
StreeterR@assembly.state.ny.us
New Law Means Easier Access to Hospice Care, Strengthening the Family Health Care Decisions Act
A bill to make it easier for dying patients to receive hospice care has been signed into law by Governor Andrew Cuomo. Last year, the Family Health Care Decisions Act (FHCDA) was signed into law allowing a "surrogate" decision-maker, e.g. spouse, domestic partner, or other family members, to make health care decisions for a patient who is unable to do so and who had not signed a health care proxy. However, that law only applies to a patient in a hospital or nursing home. The new law will let a family surrogate make decisions about enrolling in hospice care even if the patient is not in a hospital or nursing home bed. It also covers decisions made while in hospice care.
"The Family Health Care Decisions Act is about people who are sick and dying, unable to make their own health care decisions," said Assembly Member Richard N. Gottfried, chair of the Assembly Health Committee and author of the bill (A.7343-A). "A decision to enroll in hospice care is usually made while the patient is in a hospital or nursing home bed, and the family member is legally able to make that decision under the FHCDA. But if the patient is at home, the law didn't apply. Now, the humane option of hospice care will be more available."
The Legislature included language in the 2010 FHCDA bill requesting New York State's Task Force on Life and the Law to investigate expanding the law beyond those settings. In November 2010, the task force recommended the inclusion of hospice care into the FHCDA.
The bill drafted by the Legislature passed both houses with overwhelming support. In the Assembly, the bill was approved by a vote of 134 to 5 on Friday, June 17. The Senate bill, sponsored by Senate Health Committee Chair Kemp Hannon, passed by a vote of 61 to 1 on Monday, June 20. Governor Cuomo signed the bill into law on July 20.
822 Legislative Office Building, Albany, NY 12248 - Tel: 518-455-4941
250 Broadway, #2232, New York, NY10007 - Tel: 212-312-1492
GottfrR@assembly.state.ny.us
Contact: For Immediate Release:
Ryan Streeter 518-455-4941 Thursday, July 21, 2011
StreeterR@assembly.state.ny.us
New Law Means Easier Access to Hospice Care, Strengthening the Family Health Care Decisions Act
A bill to make it easier for dying patients to receive hospice care has been signed into law by Governor Andrew Cuomo. Last year, the Family Health Care Decisions Act (FHCDA) was signed into law allowing a "surrogate" decision-maker, e.g. spouse, domestic partner, or other family members, to make health care decisions for a patient who is unable to do so and who had not signed a health care proxy. However, that law only applies to a patient in a hospital or nursing home. The new law will let a family surrogate make decisions about enrolling in hospice care even if the patient is not in a hospital or nursing home bed. It also covers decisions made while in hospice care.
"The Family Health Care Decisions Act is about people who are sick and dying, unable to make their own health care decisions," said Assembly Member Richard N. Gottfried, chair of the Assembly Health Committee and author of the bill (A.7343-A). "A decision to enroll in hospice care is usually made while the patient is in a hospital or nursing home bed, and the family member is legally able to make that decision under the FHCDA. But if the patient is at home, the law didn't apply. Now, the humane option of hospice care will be more available."
The Legislature included language in the 2010 FHCDA bill requesting New York State's Task Force on Life and the Law to investigate expanding the law beyond those settings. In November 2010, the task force recommended the inclusion of hospice care into the FHCDA.
The bill drafted by the Legislature passed both houses with overwhelming support. In the Assembly, the bill was approved by a vote of 134 to 5 on Friday, June 17. The Senate bill, sponsored by Senate Health Committee Chair Kemp Hannon, passed by a vote of 61 to 1 on Monday, June 20. Governor Cuomo signed the bill into law on July 20.