Medical Aid in Dying Waiting Period Would Shorten from 15 days to 48 Hours Under Colorado Bill

Greeley Tribune | By Meg Wingerter

A bill in the Colorado legislature would shorten the mandatory waiting period for medical aid in dying from more than two weeks to two days, opening the option to more critically ill people, but raising concerns for some about rushed decisions.

Colorado legalized medical aid in dying in 2016, when voters passed Proposition 106. Under the law, two physicians must agree that an adult patient is mentally competent to make the decision to die and would have less than six months until natural death. If approved, the person would then give themselves a drug cocktail meant to cause death painlessly.

Under current Colorado law, a patient has to request medical aid in dying twice, at least 15 days apart, before they can get a prescription. Senate Bill 24-068 would shorten the timeline to 48 hours, and allow physicians to waive the waiting period if they believe the patient will die in less than two days.

It would also allow people who aren’t Colorado residents to end their lives under the state’s law, and let advanced practice registered nurses prescribe the drug cocktail. Colorado allows APRNs to prescribe most drugs, but limits medical aid in dying prescriptions to physicians…

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