Compassion & Choices - Massachusetts

04/16/2026

📅 Today is National Healthcare Decisions Day!
Take a moment to make your healthcare wishes known:
✔️ Complete your advance directive
✔️ Choose a trusted healthcare decision-maker
✔️ Share your wishes with loved ones
There’s no better time to take action and ensure your preferences are honored.

Like many people, you may have put off making decisions about your end-of-life care. Thinking and talking about end-of-life issues can be difficult, and putting documents in place can seem daunting. That’s why we have developed this advance planning guide. The guide will help you think through you...

02/11/2026

We are so proud and happy to share that our President & CEO, Kevin Díaz, has been named to the 2026 TIME100 Health List honoring the world’s 100 most influential leaders in health! Our work would not be possible without the guidance of a great leader. Congratulations Kevin 🥳

Over the past year, Compassion & Choices has seen some of our biggest victories to date, including three new states authorizing medical aid in dying. Now, as the organization eyes a bold agenda for 2026, a new recognition for Compassion & Choices President & CEO Kevin Díaz highlights the growing…

02/10/2026

📰 Amazing news! Medical aid in dying has been signed into law in New York, expanding end-of-life care options for terminally ill New Yorkers and affirming their right to make informed, compassionate decisions at the end of life. Let’s make 2026 the year Massachusetts authorizes this option!

12/12/2025

What a wonderful start to this Friday! Congratulations to all who worked tirelessly to bring this compassionate end of life healthcare option to Illinois. Let’s make 2026 the year Massachusetts authorizes this option! Compassion & Choices

🥳We did it, Illinois! Governor Pritzker just signed The Illinois End-of-Life Options for Terminally Ill Patients Act (SB 1950), aka Deb’s Law, into law! ✍️

We are incredibly grateful for all of our storytellers, including the bill’s namesake Deb Robertson, advocates and volunteers, our staff, Gov. Pritzker, and supportive lawmakers who worked tirelessly to make medical aid in dying a reality in the Land of Lincoln.

This makes Illinois the 13th U.S. jurisdiction to affirm the rights of terminally ill adults to die peacefully on their own terms.

11/19/2025

🥳The End of Life Options Act (S.1486) has been voted favorably out of the Joint Committee on Health Care Financing, in record time! It now makes its way to Senate Ways & Means, the final stop before going to the Senate floor.

Let’s keep this historic momentum going! https://join.compassionandchoices.org/a/sen-waysmeans-ma-25-ask-thank 👈 thank the Senate committee members who voted to move the bill forward, and ask your Senator to urge their colleagues on the Senate Ways & Means Committee to advance the End of Life Options Act quickly to the Senate floor.

11/10/2025

Compassion & Choices offers training on end of life planning resources to community health workers, providing them tools to connect with the communities they serve, helping to ensure that everyone has access to the end of life option that best aligns with their values. This recent article in the Public News Service discusses the challenges of end of life planning in the Latino community and the importance of understanding the cultural differences when having these very personal conversations.

As part of Hispanic Heritage Month, a national group is helping Massachusetts Hispanic and Latino community with end-of-life planning. While it's a crucial step in helping family members understand a

10/24/2025

One way Compassion & Choices is working to address end of life health inequities is through our National Emergency and Palliative Medicine Initiative. The initiative focuses on improving patient-centered care for people with life-threatening and life-limiting illness. Read more about this important work!

Transforming care for people with serious illness by promoting and enhancing the integration of palliative care in emergency settings.

10/21/2025

One of the most often asked questions about medical aid in dying is why does the legislation state that the underlying cause of death be listed on the death certificate. I wanted to take a minute to address that question today. I hope this helps as you have conversations in your community! Senator Jo Comerford State Representative Ted Philips State Rep. James O'Day

09/30/2025

Good morning! We're continuing to share with you questions that come up frequently in legislative visits. Here's a great explanation about why passing medical aid in dying is important to all residents of Massachusetts, even when only a small amount of individuals will be eligible each year. Senator Jo Comerford State Rep. James O'Day State Representative Ted Philips

09/23/2025

Hey everyone! One of the top things I cover in every legislative meeting is what the eligibility requirements are for someone who would want to access medical aid in dying under the legislation. Here's a quick run through that I thought might be helpful for you all as you hav conversations with legislators and people in the community. Senator Jo Comerford State Rep. James O'Day State Representative Ted Philips