The bill would amend the Health and Safety Code as it relates to the care received by those with advance directives.
The bill would require physicians who refuse to comply with a directive or treatment to continue to provide life-sustaining treatment to a patient as outlined in the bill for 90 days after an ethics or medical committee's review so that the patient can be transferred to a willing provider or facility. If the patient is not transferred during this time period, the obligation to provide life-sustaining treatment other than artificially administered nutrition, hydration, and pain management could cease following the provision of certain information to certain individuals by the medical provider or facility. The bill would remove language defining the patient as being responsible for any costs of the associated transfer.
It is assumed that any costs associated with the bill's provisions relating to advance directives, health care, or treatment decisions made by or on behalf of patients could be absorbed using existing resources.
No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.