This bill amends existing laws regarding health care decisions related to palliative care, hospice programs, life-sustaining procedures, and out-of-hospital do-not-resuscitate orders in Iowa. It introduces new definitions, including "attorney in fact," "close adult friend," "durable power of attorney for health care," "serious illness," and "terminal condition." The bill removes the requirement for hospice programs to provide palliative care to be eligible for licensing, instead mandating that they focus on symptom management. It also establishes a hierarchy of individuals authorized to make decisions regarding hospice placement for patients who are unable to communicate their wishes due to terminal conditions.

Additionally, the bill expands the list of individuals who can make decisions about withholding or withdrawing life-sustaining procedures and resuscitation for patients in similar circumstances, now including stepchildren, stepparents, stepsiblings, relatives, and close adult friends. It specifies that decisions must be guided by the patient's expressed or implied intentions and requires a witness during consultations with the attending physician when such decisions are made. Furthermore, it allows guardians to make decisions regarding hospice care and life-sustaining procedures without needing court approval, streamlining the process for protected individuals.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 135J.1, 144A.7, 633.635