The Legislature finds and declares that:
1. Physical and mental disabilities, age or chronic illness should in no way diminish a person's right to life, human dignity and equal access to medical care;
2. Historically, persons with disabilities, advanced age or chronic illness have faced discrimination in the health care system, including the denial of access to life-sustaining care;
3. Such discrimination is inconsistent with our society's commitment to human dignity and the full inclusion of persons with disabilities throughout society;
4. Lack of access to appropriate health care can result in significant adverse health consequences for persons with disabilities, those with chronic illness, and those of advanced age, including loss of function, reduced quality of life or even death; and
5. Both public and private payors have a moral, legal and ethical obligation to make health care reimbursement decisions in a transparent fashion utilizing nondiscriminatory criteria.
Added by Laws 2020, c. 113, § 2, eff. Nov. 1, 2020.