Bill Text: TX HR658 | 2017-2018 | 85th Legislature | Enrolled
Bill Title: Recognizing April 16 to 22, 2017, as National Healthcare Decisions Week.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Passed) 2017-03-17 - Reported enrolled [HR658 Detail]
Download: Texas-2017-HR658-Enrolled.html
| H.R. No. 658 | ||
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| WHEREAS, The observance of National Healthcare Decisions | ||
| Week from April 16 to 22, 2017, is designed to raise awareness of | ||
| the importance of advance care planning; and | ||
| WHEREAS, Although the nation has made great strides in | ||
| providing end-of-life care, it has fallen short in ensuring that | ||
| terminally ill patients receive care that is in keeping with their | ||
| values, goals, and preferences; a 2014 report by the Institute of | ||
| Medicine called for significant reforms in this regard, emphasizing | ||
| that all individuals should have the opportunity to actively | ||
| participate in decisions about the care they receive in the last | ||
| stages of life; and | ||
| WHEREAS, Individuals can communicate their end-of-life | ||
| desires to health care providers by means of advance directives, | ||
| including living wills and durable powers of attorney; such | ||
| documents are a gift to loved ones, saving them from the struggle of | ||
| trying to divine wishes that were never expressed; and | ||
| WHEREAS, Many Texans have not prepared advance directives, | ||
| and the problem is particularly acute among Mexican Americans and | ||
| other minority populations; in Hidalgo County, which is more than | ||
| 90 percent Hispanic, advocates are working to encourage timely | ||
| discussions of end-of-life wishes and to demystify the planning | ||
| process through La Conversacion Valiosa, a program presented in | ||
| conjunction with the Texas Health Institute; and | ||
| WHEREAS, This special week reminds Texans that the process of | ||
| communicating patient preferences should be initiated at the | ||
| earliest possible stage and that advance care directives should be | ||
| updated periodically to offer peace of mind to patients and loved | ||
| ones alike; now, therefore, be it | ||
| RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 85th Texas | ||
| Legislature hereby recognize April 16 to 22, 2017, as National | ||
| Healthcare Decisions Week and commend all those associated with La | ||
| Conversacion Valiosa for their efforts to facilitate advance care | ||
| planning. | ||
| Guerra | ||
| ______________________________ | ||
| Speaker of the House | ||
| I certify that H.R. No. 658 was adopted by the House on March | ||
| 16, 2017, by a non-record vote. | ||
| ______________________________ | ||
| Chief Clerk of the House | ||
