S. 2545: Advance Directives Improvement and Education Act of 2004

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S. 2545: Advance Directives Improvement and Education Act of 2004

108th Congress · introduced 2004-06-17 · Health · Latest: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. (text of measure as introduced: CR 6/18/2004 S7017-7018)

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Official title

Advance Directives Improvement and Education Act of 2004

Plain summary

Advance Directives Improvement and Education Act of 2004 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act, as amended by the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003, to provide for Medicare coverage of end-of-life planning consultations. Requires a service provider, Medicare Advantage organization, or prepaid or eligible organization to give effect to an advance directive executed outside the State in which it is presented, even one that does not appear to meet the formalities of execution, form, or language required by the State in which it is presented, to the same extent as such provider or organization would give effect to an advanced directive that meets such requirements. Permits a provider or organization to decline to honor such a directive if the provider or organization can reasonably demonstrate that it is not an authentic expression of the individual's wishes concerning his or her health care. Makes such advance directive requirements applicable under Medicaid, title XIX of the Social Security Act. Amends the Public Health Service Act to provide for grant programs to increase awareness of advance directive planning issues. Directs the Secretary to conduct a national public education campaign to: (1) raise public awareness of the importance of planning for care near the end of life; (2) improve the public's understanding of the various situations in which individuals may find themselves if they become unable to express their health care wishes; (3) explain the need for readily available legal documents that express an individual's wishes, through advance directives (including living wills, comfort care orders, and durable powers of attorney for health care); and (4) educate the public about the availability of hospice care and palliative care. Directs the Secretary to provide for the establishment of a national, toll-free, information clearinghouse as well as clearinghouses that the public may access to find out about State-specific information regarding advance directive and end-of-life decisions. Requires General Accounting Office studies and reports on end-of-life planning issues.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

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Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Nelson, Bill [D-FL] · 2 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

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Sources

• Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)
• Congress.gov
• Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-108s2545.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/108/s>

Record fed-us-cong108-s2545 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong108 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong108