Relates to the authority of a hospice medical director to sign a death certificate

• Democratic4

◆ The sponsor's argument

Why Gustavo Rivera says this is needed

In recent years, funeral directors have raised concerns regarding the medical certification of death certificates for patients under hospice care. There have been instances where physicians employed by hospices have been reluctant to sign these certificates, thereby avoiding the responsibility assigned to them under the public health law, which stip- ulates that the death certificate shall be made, dated, and signed by the physician or nurse practitioner, if any, last in attendance on the deceased. This confusion surrounding certification impacts families, preventing them from proceeding smoothly and quickly with the necessary formal- ities. In some parts of the state, this uncertainty does not exist, and hospice providers sign the death certificate without issue. However, in other regions, this remains an ongoing problem that funeral directors must address, often by seeking out other physicians who may lack the proper authorization or who are unwilling to sign. Such confusion further slows down the process and directly affects the families. This bill seeks to clarify that, once a patient is under hospice care, the hospice medical director or a physician designated by the director has the authority to complete and sign the death certificate. It is worth noting that in New York City, the local Department of Health has already mandated that the hospice medical director sign the death certificate. This measure would help provide peace of mind to families by allowing the medical director to sign or authorize personnel to carry out this important process. Additionally, it would ensure consistent protection throughout the entire state of New York.

This is the sponsor's own case for the bill, quoted from their memorandum. It is not Agora's description of what the bill does.