Advance Directives FAQs

Questions about advance directives

Sometimes, people become unable to make health care decisions for themselves due to accidents or serious illness. You may want to prepare in advance in case this happens to you.

Q. What are my rights if I'm unable to make health care decisions for myself?

You have the right to:

• Ask someone such as a family member or friend to help you with decisions about your health care.
• Use a special "advance directive" form to give someone you trust the legal authority to make decisions for you if you ever become unable to make decisions for yourself.
• Give your doctors written instructions about how you want them to handle your medical care if you become unable to make decisions for yourself.

Q. What is an advance directive?

The legal documents you can use to give your directions in advance in these situations are called "advance directives." There are different types of advance directives and different names for them. Examples include "living wills" and "power of attorney for health care."

Regardless of where you get an advance directive form or what kind it is, keep in mind that it is a legal document. Although living wills are not currently enforceable in some states, such as Michigan, they are a good way to make sure your family and your doctor understand your wishes.

• You can get a form from your lawyer, from a social worker or from some office supply stores.
• You can sometimes get advance directive forms from organizations that give people information about Medicare, such as Medicare/Medicaid Assistance Program of Michigan (MMAP)/ your SHIP (which stands for State Health Insurance Assistance Program. Section 1 of your Explanation of Benefits booklet tells how to contact Medicare/Medicaid Assistance Program of Michigan (MMAP)/ your SHIP.

Q. What else do I need to know?

For a complete list of your rights and responsibilities under PriorityMedicare^SM, including your right to use advance directives, see Section 9 of your Evidence of Coverage booklet.

Go to the "Using Advance Directives" page.