FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

1. What is an advance directive?
   
2. Isn't that a living will?
   
3. What are the types of directives?
   
4. Where do you get directives?
   
5. What is this about witnessing? Is this a will?
   
6. Do I have to use the form in the law for the other directives?
   
7. If I go to the library, where would I find the directives in the law?
   
8. Does a directive have to be notarized?
   
9. Whom should I consult before signing an advanced directive?
   
10. Why is this so important? If I get sick, I'll have plenty of time to discuss treatments with my doctor. I don't want to be bothered with this.
    
11. If I try to talk about this to my loved ones they will be very upset and I do not want to upset the people I love. They will think something is wrong.
    
12. You keep talking about my wishes! The doctor makes all of the decisions. I have no way of knowing what is available and what is best for me.
    
13. What kind of decisions are we talking about?
    
14. What if I have a heart attack? If I have a "Directive to Physicians and Family or Surrogates" will the doctors refuse to treat me? That's certainly NOT what I want!
    
15. What's the difference between the Medical Power of Attorney and the Directive to Physicians?
    
16. Why do I need an Out-of-Hospital DNR? Isn't the Directive to Physicians good enough?
    
17. How will medical personnel know that I have an Out-of-Hospital DNR order?
    
18. What happens if the doctor and the patient or the patient's decision maker disagree on a patient's treatment decision or directive?
    
19. What happens if this goes to court? What can the judge do?
    
20. If there is a transfer, who pays for it ?
    
21. What happens if they "pull the plug" while this review is going on or the doctor tells the insurance company that the treatment isn't necessary?
    
22. Can a minor execute an advanced directive, or can a parent execute one on behalf of a minor?
    
23. Do I need a directive in order to receive treatment or to get insurance?
    
24. I just know that if I have a directive it will be impossible to get life insurance!
    
25. I already have a power of attorney - what is the difference between that and the Medical Power of Attorney?
    
26. It scares me to think someone else may make all kinds of decisions about my health care! Are there any limitations on the types of things that a person who holds a Medical Power of Attorney can order done to me?
    
27. Who can I appoint as my agent?
    
28. What if the person who has my Medical Power of Attorney makes a decision about my healthcare that results in harming me? Can that person be sued?
    
29. I don't believe in suicide or mercy killing and I don't want anyone to get in trouble if they follow my directive to withdraw or withhold treatment.
    
30. What if a woman is pregnant? Can a directive to withdraw or withhold treatment be used then?
    
31. What if I execute a directive and then the doctor or the hospital refuses to do as I have directed? What can I do? I have heard they can ignore a directive and get away with it.
    
32. What if I execute a directive and then I change my mind?
    
33. I'm afraid that if I execute a directive now, I will forget about it in a few years. Maybe in the future I won't feel the same as I do now, and maybe I wouldn't appoint the same people as my proxies or my agent. Are directives always valid, no matter how old they are?
    
34. Is it ever too late for a hospitalized patient to execute an advance directive?
    
35. May I receive hospice care if I have a terminal condition but choose to be kept alive using available life-sustaining treatment?
    
36. I am worried that if I have a directive and my doctor withdraws or withholds treatment because that is what I wanted, that someone will sue the doctor and I would not want that to happen.
    
37. What if everyone has agreed on treatment for someone who is unable to do so for himself, and then a family member decides that she doesn't like what all of the others have decided and tells the doctor she'll sue if the doctor proceeds according to everybody else's wishes? What happens then?
    
38. My mother lives in Florida and has a Florida directive. If she comes to visit and something happens, is her directive valid in Texas?
    
39. And what if I am visiting her? Will Florida honor a Texas directive?