A bipartisan group of lawmakers led by Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., is urging the Department of Health and Human Services to establish new reporting requirements for hospice programs to monitor physician-assisted suicide, arguing the practice raises concerns about informed consent, discrimination, and compliance with federal law.

In a July 9 letter to HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the lawmakers responded to the department's request for information on medical aid in dying, also known as physician-assisted suicide.

They asked HHS and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to require hospice providers to report information related to physician-assisted suicide to better protect vulnerable patients and ensure compliance with federal funding restrictions.

The letter was signed by Lankford, Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., Rep. Greg Murphy, R-N.C., and Rep. Lou Correa, D-Calif., reflecting bipartisan support for additional federal oversight. It was also addressed to CMS Administrator Mehmet Oz.

The lawmakers argued that approximately 90% of patients who receive physician-assisted suicide in Washington state are enrolled in hospice, making the issue directly relevant to federal oversight of hospice programs.

They said HHS has authority to impose reporting requirements to protect patient health and safety and to ensure compliance with the Assisted Suicide Funding Restriction Act, which limits the use of federal funds for assisted suicide.

The letter cited concerns raised by disability rights advocates, informed consent issues and the potential for discrimination against older adults and people with disabilities.

The lawmakers also argued that drugs used for physician-assisted suicide are prescribed off-label because the Food and Drug Administration has not approved any medications specifically for ending a patient's life.

The lawmakers further contended that physician-assisted suicide could undermine suicide prevention efforts, citing research they said shows suicide rates increase in jurisdictions where the practice is legal.

They also cited federal data showing that more than 50,000 Americans died by suicide in 2024 and said people with serious or life-limiting illnesses face an elevated risk of suicide.

The group asked HHS to require hospice providers to report information on discrimination against vulnerable populations, disposal of unused medications, drug complications, prescribing practices for off-label medications used in physician-assisted suicide, insurance coverage decisions, and compliance with federal funding restrictions.

The lawmakers said enhanced reporting would help HHS and CMS monitor physician-assisted suicide practices within hospice programs while ensuring patients receive end-of-life care free from coercion and discrimination.