Terminal Illness & End-of-Life Planning in Moldova: 5-Step Official Checklist

1. 1

   Coordinating Home or Inpatient Palliative Care

   • Accessing publicly funded palliative care services: In the Republic of Moldova, patients diagnosed with advanced oncological conditions or progressive chronic illnesses are eligible for palliative care services funded through the Compania Națională de Asigurări în Medicină, delivered both in specialized hospital wards and hospice units and by mobile multidisciplinary home-care teams [1] [2].
   • Medical referral and pain management protocols: The family physician or attending specialist (such as an oncologist or neurologist) issues the referral and establishes a symptom and pain management plan in accordance with the national clinical protocols approved by the Ministerul Sănătății al Republicii Moldova [1].
   • Compensated medications and community nursing support: Under the mandatory health insurance system administered by the Compania Națională de Asigurări în Medicină, patients have access to subsidized analgesic medications via electronic prescriptions as well as scheduled home medical and nursing visits [1] [2].
2. 2

   Documenting Informed Consent, Treatment Preferences, and a Trusted Person

   • Patient rights to medical decision-making and informed consent: Under the patient rights legislation overseen by the Ministerul Sănătății al Republicii Moldova, as long as the ill person retains full mental capacity, they may express written informed consent or refusal regarding specific medical interventions, invasive procedures, or artificial life-prolonging treatments [1].
   • Designating a trusted representative in the medical file: Your family member can designate in the healthcare institution's clinical records a close relative or trusted person to whom physicians are authorized to disclose confidential health information and who should be consulted if the patient later becomes unable to express their wishes directly [1] [2].
   • Communicating care goals to the palliative care team: It is helpful for preferences regarding the setting of care (at home or in hospital) and boundaries on emergency interventions to be discussed openly with the attending physician and recorded in the individualized palliative care plan [1].
3. 3

   Executing Authentic Notarial Powers of Attorney and Bank Mandates

   • Authenticating general or special powers of attorney before a public notary: So that family members can represent the ill person before public authorities, utility providers, or in transactions involving the administration or disposal of property, it is essential to sign an authentic power of attorney (procură autentică) before a public notary licensed by the Ministerul Justiției al Republicii Moldova while full legal capacity is intact [4].
   • Requesting a notary visit at home or at the hospital: If physical limitations prevent your family member from traveling to a notary's office, a public notary may be requested to visit the patient's residence or healthcare facility to verify mental capacity and authenticate the power of attorney or other legal deeds on site [4].
   • Bank mandates and judicial protective measures: Commercial banks in the Republic of Moldova frequently require notarial powers of attorney to contain explicit banking clauses (specifying authority to withdraw funds, manage current and deposit accounts, or collect benefits); if the illness later impairs capacity without a prior power of attorney, establishing adult guardianship or protective measures requires a formal proceeding before the civil court [4].
4. 4

   Accessing Disability Recognition, Social Benefits, and Caregiver Support

   • Disability grading and applying for a disability pension: The family physician or specialist prepares the medical referral file for the National Council for Determining Disability and Work Capacity (CNDDCM); once a certificate recognizing severe, accentuated, or moderate disability is issued, the application for a disability pension or social allowance is submitted to the Casa Națională de Asigurări Sociale (either at a territorial CTAS office or online via the e-Cerere portal) [3].
   • Care, attendance, and supervision allowances: Individuals assessed with a severe disability who require permanent care from another person may qualify for supplementary care, attendance, and supervision allowances paid through the Casa Națională de Asigurări Sociale, as well as the locally administered Personal Assistance (Asistență personală) social service [3].
   • Leave and protections for family caregivers: Employed relatives caring for a seriously ill family member may request medical caregiver leave or flexible working arrangements under Moldovan labor law and the rules administered by the Compania Națională de Asigurări în Medicină and the Casa Națională de Asigurări Sociale [2] [3].
5. 5

   Advance Organization of a Notarial Will and Property Records

   • Executing an authentic notarial will: While the ill person retains full legal capacity, they may execute an authentic will before a public notary in the Republic of Moldova; the will is recorded in the Electronic Registry of Succession Files and Wills maintained under the authority of the Ministerul Justiției al Republicii Moldova, providing strong legal certainty while taking into account the statutory forced-heirship share (rezerva succesorală) under the Civil Code [4].
   • Verifying civil status certificates and real estate titles: It is advisable to check in advance that names and dates match across birth and marriage certificates issued by the Agenția Servicii Publice, and to verify that ownership titles to land and housing are properly registered in the Real Estate Registry (Registrul bunurilor imobile) [4] [5].
   • Coordinating cross-border assets or family members abroad: If your family member holds property or bank accounts both in the Republic of Moldova and in another country, or if prospective heirs reside abroad, it is helpful to compile an inventory of banking and property documents and consult a notary regarding the law applicable to cross-border succession [4] [5].

Official Authorities & Verified Contacts

Official Sources Checked by Clarvia

1. [1]
   Practical Guide on Palliative Care and Healthcare Assistance — Ministerul Sănătății al Republicii Moldova
2. [2]
   Funding of Palliative Care Services under the Mandatory Health Insurance System — Compania Națională de Asigurări în Medicină (CNAM)
3. [3]
   Disability Pension (Pensie de dizabilitate) - Eligibility Conditions and Social Benefits — Casa Națională de Asigurări Sociale (CNAS)
4. [4]
   Notarial Services and the Electronic Registry of Succession Files and Wills — Ministerul Justiției al Republicii Moldova
5. [5]
   Civil Status and Identity Document Services for Individuals — Agenția Servicii Publice (ASP) - Republica Moldova