Bill Summary: Minnesota End-of-Life Option Act

HF 1930 and SF 1813

Bill Summary: Minnesota End-of-Life Option Act, HF 1930 and SF 1813

Both of these bills allow: 

A terminally ill, mentally capable adult with a prognosis of six months or less to live, the option to request, obtain and take medication — should they choose —  to die peacefully in their sleep if their suffering becomes unbearable. 

Eligibility Criteria

Just like the Oregon Death with Dignity Act, to be eligible, a person must be:

• An adult, aged 18 or older

• Terminally ill with a prognosis of 6 months or less to live

• Mentally capable and making an informed healthcare decision 

Individuals are not eligible for medical aid in dying solely because of age or disability. 

Key Provisions

• The individual must self-administer the medication. Self-administration does not include administration by intravenous or other parenteral injection or infusion by any person, including the healthcare provider, family member or patient themselves.
• Patients are able to access medical aid in dying from healthcare providers licensed in Minnesota to provide similar medical care, including a doctor of medicine, a doctor of osteopathy, and advanced practice registered nurses.
• The attending healthcare provider must inform terminally ill adults requesting medical aid in dying about other end-of-life care options including comfort care, hospice care and pain control.
• Two health care providers must confirm that the person is terminally ill with a prognosis of six months or less to live, mentally capable and not being coerced.
• A terminally ill person can withdraw their request for medication, not take the medication once they have it or otherwise change their mind at any point.
• There is a mandatory mental health evaluation if either healthcare provider has concerns about the patient’s capacity to make an informed health care decision; the prescription can’t be written until the mental health provider confirms capacity.
• Healthcare providers who participate and comply with all aspects of the law are given civil and criminal immunity.
• Anyone attempting to coerce a patient will face criminal prosecution.
• Health insurers may not deny or alter healthcare benefits available to terminally ill individuals based on the availability of medical aid in dying or otherwise attempt to coerce a person with a terminal illness to make a request for aid-in-dying medication. An insurer must not attempt to coerce an individual with a terminal disease to request medical aid in dying medication
• Life insurance payments cannot be denied to the families of those who use the law.
• No healthcare provider or pharmacist is required to participate.
• The underlying illness — not medical aid in dying — will be listed as the cause of death on the death certificate.
• Unused medication must be disposed of according to state or federal law or guidelines.

Additional Regulatory Requirements

• The individual must make one oral and one written request to the attending healthcare provider and one oral request to the consulting healthcare provider.
• The attending healthcare provider must comply with medical-record documentation requirements and submit forms to the state department of health.
• The state department of health is required to issue a publicly available annual report. Identifying information about individual patients and healthcare providers is kept confidential.

Additional Information About the Bill:

Bill Sponsors:

HF 1930:  Freiberg ; Edelson ; Hornstein ; Bierman ; Hollins ; Hemmingsen-Jaeger ; Bahner ; Elkins ; Kraft ; Olson, L. ; Frazier ; Smith ; Reyer ; Acomb ; Kozlowski ; Lee, F. ; Brand ; Youakim ; Hassan ; Newton ; Becker-Finn; Sencer-Mura; Pursell ; Tabke

For More Information:

Rebecca Thoman, M.D.
Minnesota Campaign Manager at Compassion & Choices
Email: [email protected]