In addition, you enjoy certain rights as an adult patient in a hospital, skilled nursing facility or other health care setting. You can exercise these rights by preparing an advance directive, which is a written document that tells people how to make your medical decisions when you can't make them for yourself. An advance directive can also designate someone else to make medical decisions for you. Two common forms of advance directives are a living will and a durable power of attorney for health care. Well, it pretty much boils down to that fact that a living will doesn't allow you to name someone to make your medical decisions, so if this is something that you can even remotely imagine being necessary for you, take it into account.
Legalities Be aware that laws governing advance directives differ from state to state.
And laws honoring advance directives from one state to another aren't always reciprocal. So if you live in one state but must travel to other states frequently, you should probably consider confirming that your advance directive passes muster in other jurisdictions. Work with an experienced lawyer in your state. Federal law requires hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, hospices, home health agencies and managed care plans to give their patients who are covered by Medicare or Medicaid information about advanced directives.