H879 - End of Life Option Act Summary

• Allows North Carolina residents age 18+ with terminal diseases (incurable and irreversible, resulting in death within 6 months) to request prescriptions for self-administered terminal comfort care drugs to hasten death.

• Requires patients to make two oral requests and one written request signed before two adult witnesses, undergo a hospice evaluation, and demonstrate mental capacity to make medical decisions (with mental health specialist evaluation if indicated).

• Grants attending physicians sole authority to prescribe the drug after confirming patient qualifications and discussing risks, alternatives, and the right to withdraw; designates pharmacists to dispense medications and requires completion of compliance forms.

• Protects participating physicians, pharmacists, and health care providers from civil, criminal, and professional liability for good-faith participation; prohibits insurance discrimination based on terminal comfort care drug requests or use.

• Establishes Department of Health and Human Services oversight to collect confidential data and publish annual public reports on program usage, demographics, and participating providers; effective December 1, 2019.