The law effectively prohibits doctors from charging elderly patients more than the fees approved by Medicare.

But medical codes of ethics prohibit doctors and other health professionals from participating in executions.

Congress has already prohibited doctors from sending Medicare patients to laboratories with which the doctors have financial relationships.

The officials are investigating possible violations of laws that prohibit doctors from being paid to refer patients.

They would also have prohibited doctors from asking patients to sign a consent form unless it was required by state law.

The bill is supposed to prohibit hospitals or doctors from passing the cost on to patients.

Would prohibit doctors from referring patients to pharmacies where they have a financial interest.

About 30 states have laws prohibiting doctors or others from helping people kill themselves.

However, it does not prohibit doctors from prescribing narcotics to wean a patient off of the drug.

Federal law prohibits doctors from referring Medicare patients to health facilities, like laboratories, in which they have invested, but there are many exceptions.