Although the government is nowhere near instituting a “death panel” to determine whether or not you may be eligible to receive health care, it is still prudent to think about how you would like to be treated in the event that you are incapacitated.
Many people are one medical crisis away from bankruptcy. Would you want herculean efforts to preserve your life, even if it could bankrupt your family?
Who is going to make decisions for you in the event that you cannot make decisions for yourself?
Would you like to donate your organs to someone who needs a transplant, or to enhance scientific research?
How will you preserve the dignity of your body?
These are all important topics that every individual should consider and memorialize in a Living Will, along with a Durable Power of Attorney for Healthcare. The Living Will expresses your desires concerning your healthcare in the event of incapacity, and the Durable Power of Attorney for Healthcare gives someone else the power to make decisions for you when you cannot make them yourself. With these two advance directives, you can ensure that both your family and any health care facilities that treat you know what your wishes are in the event that you cannot communicate them for yourself.
Most people don’t want a doctor making a decision that only they or their family should make. Make sure your wishes are known by making a Living Will and Durable Power of Attorney for Healthcare.
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