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Bill

H 1816

An Act relative to health care proxy storage and activation

194th Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Sally Kerans

Massachusetts bill establishes procedures for storing and activating health care proxies to ensure medical teams can quickly access end-of-life decision documents during emergencies.

Accompanied a study order, see H5281 (under House Rule 27)
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Bill Summary · H 1816

Legislative bill overview

H 1816 establishes procedures for the storage and activation of health care proxies in Massachusetts, likely creating a centralized system or standardized protocols for documenting and accessing advance health care directives. The bill aims to improve accessibility and reliability of these critical end-of-life planning documents when medical decisions must be made.

Why is this important

Health care proxies are legally binding documents that designate who can make medical decisions if someone becomes incapacitated. Currently, proxies may be scattered across locations (with doctors, families, at home), creating delays or uncertainty in critical moments. Standardizing storage and activation could save lives by ensuring medical teams can quickly access and verify a patient's wishes.

Potential points of contention

  • Privacy concerns: Centralized storage of sensitive health directives could raise questions about data security, who can access the registry, and how long information is retained
  • Implementation costs: Creating or maintaining a statewide system requires funding and infrastructure that may burden healthcare facilities or state government
  • Religious and personal autonomy issues: Some groups may object to government involvement in documenting end-of-life preferences, or worry about pressure to create proxies

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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