Living Wills and Health Care Proxies
Mar. 22nd, 2005 10:53 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
dsrtaoNot interested in having the government decide what's right for your health care while you're unconscious?
Didn't think so.
In most states, you can make a Living Will. In Massachusetts, such documents are apparently not valid -- but instead, we have the Health Care Proxy, which is actually slightly better: it lets you designate exactly *who* may make those choices for you.
This is a good time to look up the procedure in your state -- go on, Google for it -- and take care of it. Today. You might get run over by a bus, right?
Residents of Massachusetts can go to the URL above to download a PDF of the state form. Print it, fill it out, make a few copies. You could put a note in your wallet stating "My health care proxy is Foo Bar, 617 555 1212, Boston, MA" just in case, too.
Didn't think so.
In most states, you can make a Living Will. In Massachusetts, such documents are apparently not valid -- but instead, we have the Health Care Proxy, which is actually slightly better: it lets you designate exactly *who* may make those choices for you.
This is a good time to look up the procedure in your state -- go on, Google for it -- and take care of it. Today. You might get run over by a bus, right?
Residents of Massachusetts can go to the URL above to download a PDF of the state form. Print it, fill it out, make a few copies. You could put a note in your wallet stating "My health care proxy is Foo Bar, 617 555 1212, Boston, MA" just in case, too.
(no subject)
Date: 2005-03-22 06:41 pm (UTC)Living wills are usually not legally binding; you want both that (to document your wishes) and someone with power of attorney who you believe will honor your wishes.