An Act To Clarify The Relationship Between Palliative Care Physicians And Hospital Physicians

This bill (LD 712) requires Maine's Palliative Care and Quality of Life Interdisciplinary Advisory Council to develop recommendations by January 1, 2026, about whether hospitals should defer to palliative care physicians and patients when making treatment decisions for patients under palliative care. It directs the council to include these recommendations in its annual report to the Legislature's Health and Human Services Committee. The bill itself does not change current law but sets a process for future legislative action based on the council's findings. It directly affects hospitals treating patients with palliative care physicians and the advisory council's reporting obligations.