WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) introduced the Medicare Advance Planning (MAP) for Care Act to encourage Medicare beneficiaries to create electronic advance directives-legal documents that allow patients to clearly articulate their preferences for their medical care should they suffer from a debilitating illness or condition. The bill encourages Medicare beneficiaries to create and register a certified and secure advance directive online and provides beneficiaries with access to a website with a range of options.

"When someone is discussing end of life care with his or her doctor, they often feel powerless. This bill gives them control over the decisions in the last part of their life," said Dr. Cassidy.

Cassidy was joined by U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-DE) in introducing the legislation.

Background

According to a 2006 study by the Pew Research Center, 70 percent of Americans have thought about their health care preferences should they be faced with a life-threatening illness or injury, but only one-third have completed an advance directive. Under the MAP Act, Medicare beneficiaries would be able to voluntarily create and register an electronic advance directive with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) at any time. Advance directives would be created through and maintained by outside organizations certified by CMS, and could be modified or terminated at any time by the beneficiary. An advance directive would include any written statement that outlines the kind of treatment and care a beneficiary wants or does not want under certain conditions, and can include identification of a health care proxy.

To address concerns about confidentiality, the MAP for Care Act requires both CMS and outside groups maintaining advance directives to hold the highest standards for privacy and security protection as well as system functionality. CMS would only keep track of the certified organization through which a beneficiary has created an advance directive and would not keep a database of these documents. The bill does not interfere with any state laws governing advance directives.

The bill is supported by the National Right to Life Committee, the American College of Emergency Physicians, MyDirectives, the American Nurses Association, National Healthcare Decisions Day, Koda Health, and US Acute Care Solutions.

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