HB 196 -- Surrogate Health Care Decisions

Sponsor:  Brandom

This bill requires health care providers to make a reasonable
effort to consult with a surrogate if an adult patient is unable
to make or communicate health care treatment decisions.  A
"surrogate" is defined as a person authorized to make health care
decisions for a patient by a power of attorney or court order or
is the patient's spouse, adult child, parent, sibling, or close
friend.  If the health care provider is unable to locate a
patient's surrogate, the patient's attending physician is allowed
to make health care treatment decisions after consulting with and
obtaining the recommendations of an institutional ethics
committee.

A surrogate, who is not the patient's agent with a durable power
of attorney for health care or guardian, is prohibited from
making decisions to withdraw the artificial administration of
food or fluid; and a person who is an authorized surrogate for
health care decisions will not be responsible for payment of the
patient's health care costs unless otherwise required to do so.

Missouri House of Representatives
95th General Assembly, 1st Regular Session
Last Updated November 17, 2009 at 9:24 am