Pennsylvania Consolidated & Unconsolidated Statutes
Chapter 54 - Health Care
Section 5432 - Criminal penalties


(a) Criminal homicide.--A person shall be subject to prosecution for criminal homicide as provided in 18 Pa.C.S. Ch. 25 (relating to criminal homicide) if the person intends to cause the withholding or withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment contrary to the wishes of the principal or patient and, because of that action, directly causes life-sustaining treatment to be withheld or withdrawn and death to be hastened and:
(1) falsifies or forges the advance health care directive, order, bracelet or necklace of that principal or patient; or
(2) willfully conceals or withholds personal knowledge of a revocation of an advance health care directive or DNR status.
(b) Interference with health care directive.--A person commits a felony of the third degree if that person willfully:
(1) conceals, cancels, alters, defaces, obliterates or damages an advance health care directive, order, bracelet or necklace without the consent of the principal or patient;
(2) causes a person to execute an advance health care directive or order or wear a bracelet or necklace by undue influence, fraud or duress; or
(3) falsifies or forges an advance health care directive, order, bracelet or necklace or any amendment or revocation thereof, the result of which is a direct change in the health care provided to the principal or patient.

Structure Pennsylvania Consolidated & Unconsolidated Statutes

Pennsylvania Consolidated & Unconsolidated Statutes

Title 20 - DECEDENTS, ESTATES AND FIDUCIARIES

Chapter 54 - Health Care

Extra - Chapter Notes

Section 5421 - Applicability

Section 5422 - Definitions

Section 5423 - Legislative findings and intent

Section 5424 - Compliance

Section 5425 - Conflicting advance health care directives

Section 5426 - Death not suicide or homicide

Section 5427 - Life insurance

Section 5428 - Health care instruments optional

Section 5429 - Pregnancy

Section 5430 - Effect of divorce

Section 5431 - Liability

Section 5432 - Criminal penalties

Section 5433 - Forms

Section 5434 - Construction

Section 5441 - Short title of subchapter

Section 5442 - Execution

Section 5443 - When living will operative

Section 5444 - Revocation

Section 5445 - Emergency medical services

Section 5446 - Validity

Section 5447 - Form

Section 5451 - Short title of subchapter

Section 5452 - Execution

Section 5453 - Requirements and options

Section 5454 - When health care power of attorney operative

Section 5455 - Appointment of health care agents

Section 5456 - Authority of health care agent

Section 5457 - Countermand

Section 5458 - Amendment

Section 5459 - Revocation

Section 5460 - Relation of health care agent to court-appointed guardian and other agents

Section 5461 - Decisions by health care representative

Section 5462 - Duties of attending physician and health care provider

Section 5463 - Effect on other State law

Section 5464 - Validity

Section 5465 - Form

Section 5471 - Example

Section 5481 - Short title of subchapter

Section 5482 - Legislative findings and intent

Section 5483 - Definitions

Section 5484 - Orders, bracelets and necklaces

Section 5485 - Revocation

Section 5486 - Absence of order, bracelet or necklace

Section 5487 - Emergency medical services

Section 5488 - Advisory committee