Literature Review

Q&A with Jim Obergefell on the future of Supreme Court's gay marriage ruling, LGBTQ rights Fremont News Messenger; by Laura A. Bischoff; 6/1/25 In 2013, Ohioans Jim Obergefell and John Arthur flew on a medical jet to exchange vows in Maryland where same-sex marriage was legal at the time. With Arthur in hospice care for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, time was slipping away for the Cincinnati couple and their home state of Ohio prohibited same-sex marriage. Days after their tarmac wedding, civil rights attorney Al Gerhardstein showed them a blank Ohio death certificate. "Do you guys understand that when John dies, his last record as a person will be wrong here, where it says marital status at the time of death?" Gerhardstein told them. "Ohio will say John was unmarried. And Jim, your name will not be here, where it says surviving spouse name." Brokenhearted and angry at the idea of not being recognized by Ohio, Arthur and Obergefell told Gerhardstein, yes, they wanted to do something about it. Arthur didn't live to see the fruits of that decision: On June 26, 2015, in a 5-4 decision in Obergefell v. Hodges, the U.S. Supreme Court decided states must allow for same-sex marriages and must recognize those solemnized in other states. Arthur died in October 2013 at the age of 48.

Providers, advocates ask Senate to reject $700M in Medicaid cuts, Congress to save OAA programs McKnights Senior Living; by Kathleen Steele Gaivin; 5/27/25Providers and advocates for older adults are counting on the Senate to reject a portion of the proposed federal budget that would gut $700 million from the Medicaid program. Members of the House of Representatives passed their version of the bill late Wednesday. ... Home care advocates ANCOR and the National Alliance for Care at Home on Thursday also called on the Senate to reject the House-passed cuts to Medicaid.

Johnson champions Eddie's Law to bring dignity to end-of-life-care in Illinois Public, Springfield, IL; News Release; 5/22/25 After an incarcerated man named Eddie Thomas died alone in a prison infirmary without receiving any end-of-life care, State Senator Adriane Johnson is championing legislation to bring dignity, compassion, and transparency to hospice and palliative care services in Illinois correctional facilities. "This bill is about basic human dignity," said Johnson (D-Buffalo Grove). "No one should die in pain, in isolation or without the comfort of care - no matter who they are or where they live. House Bill 2397 brings transparency to a system that too often leaves people to suffer silently." ... House Bill 2397 would require the Illinois Department of Corrections to prepare and publish an annual report detailing its hospice and palliative care programs. The bill aims to provide lawmakers with data that can guide future policy decisions on compassionate and medically appropriate end-of-life care for people incarcerated in Illinois. 

Trump Administration Executive Order TrackerMcDermott+Consulting; by McDermott+; 5/19/25 [This article] is a tracker of healthcare-related executive orders (EOs) issued by the Trump administration, including overviews of each EO and the date each EO was signed. We will regularly update this tracker as additional EOs are published. It is important to note that EOs, on their own, do not effectuate policies. Rather, in most cases, they put forth policy goals and call on federal agencies to examine old or institute new policies that align with those goals. ...

Texas lawmakers pass bills to expand Medical Marijuana Program and support psychedelic research Marijuana Moment; by Tom Angell; 5/13/25 The Texas House of Representatives has passed bills to significantly expand the state’s limited medical cannabis program and to support research on the therapeutic potential of ibogaine with the aim of encouraging federal approval of the psychedelic. The marijuana measure cleared the House on third reading with a vote of 122–21 and the ibogaine legislation was approved 138-2. The body’s action sends both proposals to the Senate and comes one day after the bills were given initial approval on second reading. ... A second amendment approved by members would require doctors who issue medical cannabis recommendations to report them to the state’s prescription drug monitoring program.

2 views of the New York bill that would legalize medically assisted suicide Spectrum News 1, Northern NY; by Susan Arbetter; 5/5/25 Last week, after over a decade of trying, advocates rejoiced when the New York state Assembly passed a bill allowing for medically assisted suicide. After an emotional debate, the so-called Medical Aid in Dying Act passed by an 81-67 vote. The legislation faces an uphill battle in the state Senate, but if passed into law, it would allow mentally competent, terminally ill patients over the age of 18 to self-administer physician-prescribed life-ending medication. ... Capital Tonight heard from both those opposed to and those in support of the bill, A136 Paulin/S138 Hoylman-Sigal. ... Last week, Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins told Capital Tonight that there were 25 “yes” votes in that chamber – 32 are needed to pass. Carey pointed out that while the Senate bill has 25 sponsors, there are additional members who support the bill. 

Rep. Jamila Taylor advances new laws to protect vulnerable communities and end-of-life rights The Seattle Medium, Olympia, WA; by The Seattle Medium; 4/18/25 In a landmark legislative moment for Washington’s most vulnerable residents, Rep. Jamila Taylor (D-Federal Way) secured the passage of two major bills signed into law by Governor Bob Ferguson on April 16. Together, the laws modernize background checks for caregivers and ensure that all individuals—regardless of pregnancy status—retain full autonomy over their end-of-life healthcare decisions.

Federal court strikes down minimum staffing rule: The details you might not know behind the decisionMcKnights Long-Term Care News; by Neville M. Bilimoria; 4/21/25On April 7, 2025, the US District Court for the Northern District of Texas struck down the federal minimum staffing Final Rule issued by the Department of Health and Human Services and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. This was incredibly good news for nursing homes across the country for a variety of reasons ... The opinion from District Court Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk outlined the many laws and regulations America’s nursing homes are subject to in the healthcare arena, but it also recounted some deep history behind minimum staffing efforts that were previously unsuccessful, both by HHS and Congress.  ...

‘Medical aid in dying’ bill passes Nevada Assembly despite Lombardo veto threat Las Vegas Review-Journal; by McKenna Ross; 4/17/25 An effort to legalize medical aid in dying for terminally ill people has passed a crucial vote Thursday despite Gov. Joe Lombardo’s threat to veto the measure. Assembly Bill 346 would create a legal framework for competent and willing terminally ill patients to self-administer life-ending medicines. It passed in the Assembly on Thursday, 23-19.

Attorneys general challenge Trump’s deportations, citing impact on home health workforce McKnights Home Care; by Adam Healy; 4/16/25 Nineteen state attorneys general filed an amicus brief Monday challenging President Donald Trump’s deportation policies. Among their arguments, they contended that deportations would have an outsized, negative impact on the home health industry’s ability to deliver care. “From a public health perspective, [states] depend on noncitizen healthcare workers who, like other immigrants, are forced to live in a climate of fear — nationwide over 1 million immigrants work in healt hcare, including 40% of home health aides and 18% of nursing home staff,” the brief said. The brief aims to block the administration’s so-called “ideological deportation policy,” established by executive orders 14161 and 14188. These orders intimidate workers, impair healthcare delivery and harm states’ economies, the attorneys general argued. 

Where bills stand in the Nevada legislature in 2025: ... AB161 - Hospice Care Fox 5 - KU-TV, Las Vegas, NV; by FOX5 Staff; 4/14/25 FOX5 gathered the most high-profile bills moving in the Nevada legislature this year. Here’s where they stand: ...

Medical Aid in Dying Annual ReportsJust released:

Trump administration continues to defend nursing home staffing mandate in court McKnights Long-Term Care News; by Kimberly Marselas; 4/7/25 The federal government continues to defend a national nursing home staffing mandate in court, despite several members of the new presidential administration having expressed major concerns about the rule finalized in 2024. Department of Justice attorneys on Thursday again outlined their justification for the rule, telling the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services did not exceed its legal authority in dictating 24-hour registered nurse coverage and 3.48 hours a day of direct patient care from every US skilled nursing facility.