Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
This bill, the Compassionate Care Act, aims to improve end-of-life care in the United States by strengthening advance care planning—the process where patients discuss and document their medical wishes for situations when they cannot make decisions themselves. The legislation affects patients, healthcare providers, hospitals, nursing homes, hospices, and educational institutions. It requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to launch a five-year national public education campaign by January 2027 to inform Americans about advance care planning rights and options, establish a provider website with training resources by January 2028, create a pilot program for medical and nursing schools to teach end-of-life care by 2027, and develop quality measures for end-of-life care across different healthcare settings. The bill also expands Medicare coverage of telehealth for advance care planning services and hospice consultations, making these services permanently available regardless of location. Additionally, it directs studies on establishing a national advance directive registry and uniform advance directive policies to make documents more portable across state lines. The legislation authorizes necessary appropriations but does not specify funding amounts, with implementation timelines ranging from 2027 through 2029.
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