Lawmakers tell HHS to crack down on discrimination in medically assisted suicide

Bipartisan lawmakers asked HHS to require hospice reporting on medically assisted suicide to detect coercion or discrimination against people with disabilities, older adults and other vulnerable patients.
They warned assisted suicide could enable age/disability discrimination and undermine suicide-prevention efforts; federal funds are barred but 13 states and D.C. allow the practice.
Lawmakers split on emphasis — some call for more palliative care and oppose physician participation on moral grounds, while others support patient choice but want stronger safeguards and informed consent.