District of Columbia · Through 2026-08-20 (D.C. Law 26-175)

D.C. Code § 7-661.02: Requests for a covered medication.

(a)
To request a covered medication, a patient shall:
(1)
Make 2 oral requests, separated by at least 15 days, to an attending physician.
(2)
Submit a written request, signed and dated by the patient, to the attending physician before the patient makes his or her 2nd oral request and at least 48 hours before a covered medication may be prescribed or dispensed.

(b)
(1)
A written request made pursuant to subsection (a)(2) of this section shall be witnessed by at least 2 individuals who, in the presence of the patient, attest to the best of their knowledge and belief that the patient is capable, acting voluntarily, and is not being unduly influenced to sign the request.
(2)
If the patient is a patient in a long-term care facility at the time the written request is made under subsection (a)(2) of this section, one of the witnesses shall be an individual designated by the facility who has met the qualifications specified in the Department's regulations.
(3)
One of the witnesses shall be a person who is not:
(A)
A relative of the patient by blood, marriage, or adoption;
(B)
At the time the request is signed, entitled to any portion of the estate of the qualified patient upon death under any will or by operation of law; or
(C)
An owner, operator, or employee of a health care facility where the qualified patient is receiving medical treatment or is a resident.
(4)
The patient's attending physician at the time of the request shall not be a witness.

Where this section sits in the code

Title 7. Human Health Care and Safety.
Chapter 6B. Physician Assisted Death.

(a)

To request a covered medication, a patient shall:

(1)

Make 2 oral requests, separated by at least 15 days, to an attending physician.

(2)

Submit a written request, signed and dated by the patient, to the attending physician before the patient makes his or her 2nd oral request and at least 48 hours before a covered medication may be prescribed or dispensed.

(b)

(1)

A written request made pursuant to subsection (a)(2) of this section shall be witnessed by at least 2 individuals who, in the presence of the patient, attest to the best of their knowledge and belief that the patient is capable, acting voluntarily, and is not being unduly influenced to sign the request.

(2)

If the patient is a patient in a long-term care facility at the time the written request is made under subsection (a)(2) of this section, one of the witnesses shall be an individual designated by the facility who has met the qualifications specified in the Department's regulations.

(3)

One of the witnesses shall be a person who is not:

(A)

A relative of the patient by blood, marriage, or adoption;

(B)

At the time the request is signed, entitled to any portion of the estate of the qualified patient upon death under any will or by operation of law; or

(C)

An owner, operator, or employee of a health care facility where the qualified patient is receiving medical treatment or is a resident.

(4)

The patient's attending physician at the time of the request shall not be a witness.

(c)

A written request made pursuant to subsection (a)(2) of this section shall be in substantially the following form:

Collected 2026-08-29T05:44:07Z. Source file · JSON

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