Buffalo, NY (WBEN) Legislators in Albany have approved amendments asked by Governor Hochul to move the Medical Aid in Dying Act forward. Not everyone in Albany is in favor.
Corinne Carey of Compassion and Choices says among the amendments Hochul wanted was a residency requirement so only New York State residents will be able to access medical aid in dying, a five day waiting period between the time when the prescription is written and filled unless the patient's attending physician believes that the patient will die within that period, the oral request by the patient for medical aid in dying must be recorded, either by video or audio and permanently stored in the patient's medical record, and a mandatory mental health evaluation of patients seeking medical aid and dying by a psychologist or a psychiatrist. But Carey says that last one concerns those seeking medical aid in dying. "I think that folks are worried about the shortage of psychiatrists and psychologists in New York State, and that it will be quite a barrier for people to arrange two visits, one with an attending doctor, one with a consulting doctor, and then an additional visit with a psychiatrist or a psychologist. I myself, and I know that many others are concerned that people who advocated for the passage of this law because they themselves are seriously ill may not have the ability to exercise this option, because they may die before the six month period during which the Department of Health will be put putting together regulations," says Carey.
State Senator Patrick Galilvan says it's a slippery slope, and it can lead to problems everywhere. "I think it violates a doctor's Hippocratic Oath first and foremost. And if we look particularly at the experience in Canada, we see an incredible expansion from those that are within six months of of a terminal illness to people that might have mental health issues or other things," says Gallivan. He adds he's concerned about how insurance companies will view medical aid in dying. "Payers of health insurance start making decisions on, does treatment cost more or shall we or is it more inexpensive to say yes to medicine that can help somebody in their life? I think it's fraught with problems, and I just think it has the potential to go, go down to a place that we don't want to be at," notes Gallivan.
Gallivan says the decision is gut wrenching. "When you talk to somebody that's ill, terminal illness, and I don't wish ill upon them, you certainly don't want want them to suffer. But when we look at the larger picture, I just think that there's more potential problems than it the helping of the few individuals that it can help," explains Gallivan.
Has there been blowback from politicians who voted for this? Carey says she spoke with her assemblymember who voted yes, but told her the blowback never came. "I think that people now realize that lawmakers now realize that this is something that their constituents want, even if they never avail themselves of it. They think that people should have expanded End of Life Options in New York," says Carey.