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Advance Medical Directives Directory

An advance medical directive is paperwork you fill out to detail what medical care you do and do not want should anything happen to you. It explains to your family and doctor how to proceed if you cannot tell them yourself. A living will explains what care you want, and a power of attorney places one person in charge of treatment decisions for you. That person becomes your health care agent (health care proxy). You should note whether you want to receive treatments such as CPR, breathing machine, feeding tube, and more. Follow the links below to find WebMD's comprehensive coverage about how advance medical directives work, how to begin writing one, how to choose a health care proxy, and more.

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Thumbnail: Making Your Last Wishes Known

Laws in every state have made it clear: You have the fundamental right to make a decision in advance about whether to accept or refuse medical treatment if you become gravely ill.

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