This bill matters because it addresses a common problem: important personal documents, especially those detailing end-of-life wishes or medical directives, can be difficult to find or access when they are most needed. If someone becomes unable to communicate, their family or doctors might struggle to locate documents like a living will or power of attorney, leading to uncertainty, delays, or even decisions being made against the person's wishes.
By commissioning a study into a national, secure storage system, this bill explores a potential solution to this issue. If such a system were eventually created, it could provide peace of mind for individuals, ensure their wishes are honored, and ease the burden on families and healthcare providers during difficult times. Without this bill, the government would not be exploring this particular solution for securing "last wish documents."
KEY PROVISIONS
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PROVISION 01
Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to seek an agreement with the National Academies to study creating a national system for storing "last wish documents."
This initiates the research into a potential solution for a common problem regarding accessing important personal documents.
PROVISION 02
Specifies that the study must explore a confidential, secure system, free of cost to individuals, allowing authorized agents to retrieve documents.
These requirements outline key features that would be essential for any practical and widely used storage system.
PROVISION 03
Requires the National Academies to submit a status report within 2 years and the full study results within 4 years of the bill's enactment.
These deadlines ensure accountability and a clear timeline for the completion and review of the study.
PROVISION 04
Defines "last wish document" to include advance directives, organ donor registrations, healthcare/medical proxies, powers of attorney, and living wills.
This clear definition ensures that the study covers the specific types of documents intended to be stored.
This bill matters because it addresses a common problem: important personal documents, especially those detailing end-of-life wishes or medical directives, can be difficult to find or access when they are most needed. If someone becomes unable to communicate, their family or doctors might struggle to locate documents like a living will or power of attorney, leading to uncertainty, delays, or even decisions being made against the person's wishes.
By commissioning a study into a national, secure storage system, this bill explores a potential solution to this issue. If such a system were eventually created, it could provide peace of mind for individuals, ensure their wishes are honored, and ease the burden on families and healthcare providers during difficult times. Without this bill, the government would not be exploring this particular solution for securing "last wish documents."
KEY PROVISIONS
AI-extracted
high
Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to seek an agreement with the National Academies to study creating a national system for storing "last wish documents."
This initiates the research into a potential solution for a common problem regarding accessing important personal documents.
high
Specifies that the study must explore a confidential, secure system, free of cost to individuals, allowing authorized agents to retrieve documents.
These requirements outline key features that would be essential for any practical and widely used storage system.
med
Requires the National Academies to submit a status report within 2 years and the full study results within 4 years of the bill's enactment.
These deadlines ensure accountability and a clear timeline for the completion and review of the study.
med
Defines "last wish document" to include advance directives, organ donor registrations, healthcare/medical proxies, powers of attorney, and living wills.
This clear definition ensures that the study covers the specific types of documents intended to be stored.
Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act
Status report on the study
Not later than 4 years after the date of enactment of this Act
Results of the study
GLOSSARY
AI-written
Last Wish Document
Important legal papers that express an individual's wishes regarding their medical care, finances, and other personal matters, especially concerning end-of-life decisions or situations where they cannot make decisions for themselves.
Advance Directive
A legal document that allows you to make decisions about your medical care in advance, such as whether you want life-sustaining treatments, if you become unable to communicate.
Organ Donor Registration
A legal record indicating an individual's consent to donate their organs or tissues for transplant after their death.
Healthcare or Medical Proxy
A legal document appointing another person to make healthcare decisions for you if you become unable to make them for yourself. Also known as a durable power of attorney for healthcare.
Power of Attorney
A legal document that gives one person the power to act for another person in legal or financial matters.
Living Will
A legal document that specifies the medical treatments a person does or does not want to receive to prolong their life if they become terminally ill or permanently unconscious.
National Academies
ACTION TIMELINE
2 EVENTS
OCT 28, 25
Introduced in House
INTROREFERRAL
OCT 28, 25
Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Refers to the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, a private, non-profit organization that advises the nation on science, engineering, and medicine.
Secretary (of HHS)
The head of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, a cabinet-level position responsible for protecting the health of all Americans and providing essential human services.
