Public education campaign on appointing a health care agent and personal representative of an estate before high-risk medical procedures.

This bill would require the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene to educate the public on a person’s ability to appoint a health care agent and a personal representative (executor) of their estate before that person undergoes a high-risk medical procedure. The Department of Health and Mental Hygiene would inform the public that a health care agent or personal representative of an estate need not be a relative, and can instead be a friend or other trusted individual. The Department of Health and Mental Hygiene would also encourage health care providers to share this information with patients before a high-risk medical procedure, and report on the actions taken to do so no later than one year after the effective date.