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

1. 1

   Coordinate Palliative Care, Home Nursing, and Health Coverage

   • Statutory right to free palliative care: Under Article 36 of Federal Law No. 323-FZ on the Fundamentals of Health Protection of Citizens in the Russian Federation, patients with incurable, progressive illnesses are entitled to state-funded outpatient and inpatient palliative medical care, pain relief (including strong and narcotic analgesics), and psychological support under clinical regulations issued by the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation [1].
   • Medical commission (vrachebnaya komissiya) referral: Ask the attending physician or oncologist at the territorial polyclinic to convene a medical commission (or obtain an oncology conclusion where already established) to issue an official conclusion for palliative care and register your family member with the local palliative care cabinet, mobile home-visiting patronage service (vyezdnaya patronazhnaya sluzhba), or specialized hospice supervised by the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation [1].
   • Compulsory medical insurance (OMS) and social home care: Ensure the ill person's Compulsory Medical Insurance (OMS) policy is active via the Unified Portal of State and Municipal Services (Gosuslugi), and apply to the local social protection authority or comprehensive social service centre (KTSON) for home-based social care and nursing assistance [1] [2].
2. 2

   Record Medical Consent Preferences and Authorized Access to Health Data

   • Informed voluntary consent and refusal of intervention: Under Article 20 of Federal Law No. 323-FZ, a citizen with full legal capacity has the right to sign an informed voluntary consent (informirovannoe dobrovolnoe soglasie) or a written refusal of specific medical interventions, which must be entered into their official medical record at the institution regulated by the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation [1].
   • Authorizing family access to confidential medical records (vrachebnaya taina): Because Article 13 of Federal Law No. 323-FZ strictly protects medical confidentiality, the ill person should explicitly name one or more trusted family members or representatives in their written informed consent form at the polyclinic and hospital so those individuals are legally authorized to receive clinical updates, test results, medical extracts, and prescriptions [1].
   • Clinical decision-making if capacity is lost: Russian law does not recognize a standalone foreign-style healthcare proxy that overrides statutory guardianship if an adult loses consciousness without a court-appointed guardian; in such situations, urgent treatment decisions are taken by a medical consilium (konsilium vrachey) or the attending duty physician under standards of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, making prior written entries in the medical chart essential [1].
3. 3

   Execute Notarial Powers of Attorney and Bank Mandates

   • Notarized general or special power of attorney (doverennost): Under Articles 185 and 185.1 of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation, while your family member retains full mental and legal capacity, arrange to execute a notarized power of attorney before a notary of the Federal Chamber of Notaries of the Russian Federation (regulated by the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation) to authorize a representative to manage property, deal with state bodies, and represent the person before the Social Fund of Russia (SFR) and tax authorities [3] [4] [5].
   • Home or hospital notary visit (vyezd notariusa na dom ili v statsionar): If the ill person cannot visit a notary office, any notary within the local notarial district of the Federal Chamber of Notaries of the Russian Federation can be invited to the home, hospital, or hospice to verify capacity and certify powers of attorney [5]. If the person cannot physically sign due to weakness or motor impairment while mentally lucid, a third-party signatory (rukoprikladchik) may sign in the presence of the notary [5]. For inpatient facilities where a notary cannot attend immediately, powers of attorney for receiving pensions and correspondence may also be certified by the chief physician under Article 185.1(3) of the Civil Code [1] [5].
   • Banking mandates: Register notarized powers of attorney or execute internal bank powers of attorney directly with Russian commercial banks so that an authorized representative can pay bills, manage deposits, and access funds without interruption [5].
4. 4

   Activate Disability Classification (*MSE*), Benefits, and Caregiver Support

   • Medical and Social Expertise (Mediko-sotsialnaya ekspertiza - MSE): Request the attending polyclinic to submit Form 088/u electronically to the Bureau of Medical and Social Expertise (MSE) to establish Group I, II, or III disability and issue an Individual Programme of Rehabilitation or Habilitation (IPRA), which entitles the patient to free technical rehabilitation aids (TSR), hospital beds, and nursing supplies through the Social Fund of Russia (SFR) [1] [4].
   • Disability pension and monthly cash payment (EDV): Once the MSE disability certificate is recorded in the Federal Register of Disabled Persons, apply via the Unified Portal of State and Municipal Services (Gosuslugi) or at a client office of the Social Fund of Russia (SFR) for an insurance or social disability pension and the monthly cash payment (EDV), including the set of social services (NSU) covering free prescription medications [2] [4].
   • Caregiver compensation and leave: Under rules administered by the Social Fund of Russia (SFR), constant-care supplements and caregiver pension points (1.8 pension coefficients per full year of care for a Group I disabled person) are credited through the Social Fund of Russia (SFR), and employed relatives may arrange unpaid caregiver leave of up to 14 calendar days per year (or longer under collective agreements) or part-time work schedules under Articles 93 and 128 of the Labour Code [2] [4].
5. 5

   Review the Will, Civil Status Records, and Property Documents

   • Executing a notarized will (zaveshchanie): Under Chapter 62 of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation, a valid will must be executed in person and certified by a notary of the Federal Chamber of Notaries of the Russian Federation (or, in exceptional inpatient settings, by the chief physician or duty physician for mandatory forwarding to the notary archives) while the testator possesses full legal capacity [5]. Many Russian notaries offer video recording during execution to safeguard the will against subsequent challenges under Article 177 of the Civil Code [5].
   • Statutory compulsory share (obyazatelnaya dolya): When drafting a will with a notary of the Federal Chamber of Notaries of the Russian Federation, account for Article 1149 of the Civil Code, which guarantees minor or disabled/pension-age children, spouses, and parents of the testator at least half of their intestate share regardless of testamentary provisions [5].
   • Property records and cross-border coordination: Verify that real estate titles are properly recorded in the Unified State Register of Real Estate (EGRN / Rosreestr) via the Unified Portal of State and Municipal Services (Gosuslugi), and if powers of attorney or civil documents are needed across borders, arrange a Hague Apostille through the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation or consular notarization through the Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation [2] [3] [6].

Official Authorities & Verified Contacts

Official Sources Checked by Clarvia

1. [1]
   Official Portal of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation — Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation
2. [2]
   Social Fund and Citizen Disability Services Portal — Unified Portal of State and Municipal Services (Gosuslugi)
3. [3]
   State Services for Notarial Oversight and Apostille Legalization — Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation
4. [4]
   Provision of Technical Means of Rehabilitation (TSR) and Disability Support — Social Fund of Russia (SFR)
5. [5]
   Notarial Rules on Wills, Powers of Attorney, and Inheritance Rights — Federal Chamber of Notaries of the Russian Federation
6. [6]
   Consular Notarial Functions and Power of Attorney Templates — Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation