Indiana House Bill 1020 on Physician Aid-in-Dying

Indiana House Bill 1020, which was recently introduced recently, if passed, would legalize physician aid-in-dying in Indiana effective July 1, 2020. Here’s the synopsis

End of life options. Allows individuals with a terminal illness who meet certain requirements to make a request to an attending physician for medication that the individual may self-administer to end the individual’s life. Specifies requirements a physician must meet in order to prescribe the medication to a patient. Prohibits an insurer from denying payment of benefits under a life insurance policy based upon a suicide clause in the life insurance policy if the death of the insured individual is the result of medical aid in dying. Establishes a Level 1 felony if a person: (1) without authorization of the patient, willfully alters, forges, conceals, or destroys a request for medication or a rescission of a request for medication with the intent or effect of causing the individual’s death; or (2) knowingly or intentionally coerces or exerts undue influence on an individual to request medication to end the individual’s life or to destroy a rescission of a request for medication to end the individual’s life.

The bill includes a sample form for requesting the medication, found in proposed  IC 16-36-7 I, sec. 3(e).

Stay tuned.