In order to protect the rights of its citizens, Congress passed the Patient Self-Determination Act in 1991. This law makes it clear that you have the right to make decisions regarding your medical care including the right to accept or refuse treatment and the right to make an advance directive. It is advisable to make these health care decisions at a time when you are competent to do so. Making such health care decisions can become confusing for an individual.
Technology is available that can respond effectively in many life-threatening situations.
Sometimes this same technology that is intended to assist in restoring a person to health can become a mechanism that prolongs the very dying process. Many seriously ill persons are not competent to make decisions about their care. For this reason many states have passed laws that encourage advance health care directives. By means of such a document, you are able to determine now about the kind of treatment you wish to receive should you become incompetent to make those determinations at the time of your illness. Kentucky passed such legislation in 1990 and refined these laws in 1994.