HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3971        FILED ON: 1/20/2023

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2015

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Steven George Xiarhos, (BY REQUEST)

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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act relative to the limited sharing of medical information with the family of mentally ill patients in emergency situations.

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PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Date Added:

June McDonald

45 Santuit Newtown Road

1/20/2023


HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3971        FILED ON: 1/20/2023

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2015

By Representative Xiarhos of Barnstable (by request), a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 2015) of June McDonald relative to the limited sharing of medical information with the family of mentally ill patients in emergency situations.  Mental Health, Substance Use and Recovery.

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)

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An Act relative to the limited sharing of medical information with the family of mentally ill patients in emergency situations.

 

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

SECTION 1. Section 70E of chapter 111 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 20202 Official Edition, is hereby amended by adding the following new paragraph:-

Notwithstanding anything in this section to the contrary, the physician or other person responsible for the care of a patient suffering from severe mental illness shall be permitted to disclose certain information concerning such patient's medical condition to members of the patient's immediate family in an emergency, without the patient's prior consent; provided, that the scope and duration of such information sharing shall be limited to the extent deemed necessary by said physician or caregiver to prevent the patient from sustaining serious bodily injury, a life-threatening medical condition, or death.