• Living wills allow people to decide their treatments in advance.h?¡äpital2 image by Jo??l Alain from Fotolia.com
  
  Living wills are advanced directives which enable individuals to make decisions about their healthcare before something happens that incapacitates them. Living wills are written documents that have the power to inform doctors, hospitals, family members and caregivers what type of treatments the individual would like and what they would prefer to refuse. Laws regarding living wills vary from state to state, but there are federal regulations that must be followed for healthcare providers.
  
  

Requirements for Document

• The document must be clear in meaning and describe specific circumstances in which the individual would like to refuse certain treatments, usually including circumstances where there is permanent disability or terminal illness. It must be outlined in the living will that the document goes into effect due to permanent or irreversible outcomes, which is usually determined by a doctor. If an individual does not want certain types of treatments he must be specific about which treatments he would like refused in the document. Due to the complicated nature of these specifications, it may be helpful to gain the assistance of a lawyer in drafting a living will.
  
  

Federal Requirements for Providers

• According to federal law, healthcare providers must understand the rights of individuals under the laws in their state and provide individuals seeking services with this information. Providers must have written documentation regarding their policies on living wills and comply with all state laws relating to living wills within their organization. They must try their hardest to meet the needs of the individual's living will as long as it is in their power to do so.
  
  

State Laws

• There are certain federal laws regarding living wills that providers must follow, but individual states make the majority of the decisions regarding living wills. States make policies on what must be included in the living will document, how it must be signed, what treatments the individual has the right to refuse, and how physician's must decide if the illness or disability is permanent or irreversible. Many state government websites include information on living wills.