Medical Directives

Medical Directives are sometimes called Living Wills, Advanced Directives, Personal Directives or Advanced Decisions. By any name, the purpose is the same: to allow you to define your medical care preferences in advance of a serious condition while you are of clear mind and able to articulate those preferences.

Our Medical Directives start at $45, fully stating your treatment preferences when you have a terminal condition or are persistently unconscious and are unable to make decisions. The price can go up to $65 with the addition of a Health Care Proxy to make medical decisions for you, in accordance with your stated wishes, and very specific anatomical gift (organ donation) preferences. Both are optional.

Before you start, please review these definitions, which will be in your final Medical Directive and describe the choices you'll be making momentarily.

Life-sustaining treatment means any medical procedure or intervention, including but not limited to the artificial administration of nutrition and hydration if the declarant has specifically authorized the withholding and withdrawal of artificially administered nutrition and hydration, that when administered to a qualifying patient would only serve to prolong the process of dying or to maintain the patient in a condition of persistent unconsciousness. The term 'life-sustaining treatment' shall not include the administration of medication or the performance of any medical treatment deemed necessary to alleviate pain nor the normal consumption of food and water.

Artificially supplied nutrition and hydration (or artificially administered food and water) means the provision of nutrients or fluids by a tube inserted in a vein, under the skin in the subcutaneous tissues, or in the stomach (gastrointestinal tract).

Comfort care means treatment, including prescription medication, provided to a patient for the sole purpose of alleviating pain, and does not include artificially administered food and water.

Terminal Conditions

A terminal condition means an incurable and irreversible condition that, even with the administration of life-sustaining treatment, will, in the opinion of the attending physician and another physician, result in death within six (6) months. If you're found to have a terminal condition, you state:

Life Sustaining Treatment (TC) *

I direct that life-sustaining treatment shall be given to me as necessary.
I direct that life-sustaining treatment shall be withheld or withdrawn if such treatment would only prolong my process of dying, and if my attending physician and another physician determine that I have an incurable and irreversible condition that even with the administration of life-sustaining treatment will cause my death within six (6) months.

Artificial Provision Of Nutrition (TC) *

I direct that artificially supplied nutrition and hydration shall be given to me as necessary.
I understand that the artificial administration of nutrition and hydration (food and water) that will only prolong the process of dying from an incurable and irreversible condition is a particularly important subject. I understand that if I do not specifically state otherwise, artificially administered nutrition and hydration may be administered to me when I can no longer chew or swallow by myself. If I can no longer chew or swallow by myself or with someone helping me, I direct that artificially provided nutrition and hydration be withheld or withdrawn from me.

Comfort Care (TC) *

I direct that comfort care shall be given to me as necessary.
I understand that the provision of comfort care that will prolong the process of dying from an incurable and irreversible condition is a particularly important subject when such care will prolong the dying process. I direct that comfort care be withheld or withdrawn from me if it would only prolong my dying. I understand that the law may not allow me to direct that comfort care be withheld in certain states. However, I ask that my wishes regarding the giving of comfort care be followed regardless of whether they may go beyond what the law allows.

Total So Far

$ 0.00

Persistent Unconsciousness

Persistently unconscious means an irreversible condition, as determined by the attending physician and another physician, in which thought and awareness of self and environment are absent. If you're found to be persistently unconscious, you state:

Life Sustaining Treatment (PU) *

I direct that life-sustaining treatment shall be given to me as necessary.
I direct that life-sustaining treatment be withheld or withdrawn if my attending physician and another physician determine that such treatment will only serve to maintain me in an irreversible condition in which thought and awareness of self and environment are absent.

Artificial Provision Of Nutrition (PU) *

I direct that artificially supplied nutrition and hydration shall be given to me as necessary.
I understand that the artificial administration of nutrition and hydration (food and water) for individuals who have become persistently unconscious is a particularly important subject. I understand that if I do not specifically state otherwise, artificially administered nutrition and hydration may be administered to me when I can no longer chew or swallow by myself. I therefore direct that if I can no longer chew or swallow by myself or with someone helping me, artificially provided nutrition and hydration be withheld or withdrawn from me. I understand that by signing this paragraph, I am authorizing the withholding or withdrawal of artificially administered nutrition (food) and hydration (water).

Comfort Care (PU) *

I direct that comfort care shall be given to me as necessary.
I understand that the provision of comfort care for individuals who have become persistently unconscious is a particularly important subject. I direct that comfort care be withheld or withdrawn from me if it would prolong my dying. I understand that the law may not allow me to direct that comfort care be withheld in certain states. However, I ask that my wishes regarding the giving of comfort care be followed regardless of whether they may go beyond what the law allows.

Total So Far

$ 0.00

You

Terminal Conditions

Persistent Unconsciousness

Health Care Proxy

Anatomical Gifts