HF 2095 Summary: Minnesota Compassionate Care Act of 2015

• Allows competent adults with terminal illness (prognosis of death within 6 months) who are Minnesota residents to request physician-prescribed medication for self-administered aid in dying.

• Requires two written requests signed and witnessed by at least two persons, with a minimum 15-day interval between requests; at least one witness must be unrelated to the patient and have no financial interest in the patient's estate.

• Mandates attending physician and independent consulting physician confirm terminal illness diagnosis and patient competency; requires psychiatric/psychological evaluation if either physician suspects depression or impaired judgment.

• Prohibits any person from acting on the patient's behalf; prohibits alterations, forgery, or destruction of requests (treated as attempted murder or murder); establishes that aid in dying does not constitute suicide or assisted suicide.

• Protects healthcare providers' voluntary participation and allows health care facilities to adopt non-participation policies; permits qualified patients to rescind requests at any time without regard to mental state; protects patients from insurance discrimination and eviction based on aid in dying requests.