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Quoted Text

State needs Family Health Care Decisions Act  

First published: Tuesday, June 19, 2007

Imagine that an auto accident leaves you with such critical injuries that you are unable to make medical decisions for yourself or communicate what you would want. Who could speak for you? Your spouse, life partner, parent, best friend?
    
In New York state, unfortunately, your loved ones could face a difficult time making these decisions for you, unless you have left very specific written instructions in the form of a health care proxy or living will. Without what is known legally as "clear and convincing evidence" of what you would have wanted, doctors and hospital administrators could end up being the ones who decide your medical care.

A measure pending before the state Legislature would give families the right to make these important life decisions for loved ones who become medically incapacitated.

The proposed Family Health Care Decisions Act would respect individuals' own ethical or religious beliefs about life-and-death situations by ensuring that decisions about their medical care are made by people who are closest to them.

New York is one of only two states -- the other is Missouri -- that have failed to adopt the laws or procedures that are needed to allow surrogate medical decision-making for individuals who are unable to speak for themselves because of illness or injury.

Our state legislators and governor must end this shameful situation and enact the long-delayed and critically important Family Health Care Decisions Act.

LOIS UTTLEY
Averill Park

  

just make sure your loved one is not Tony soprano