Next the insurance companies will use the living will to release them from any responsibility in tending to the needs of the patient.
Good point.
I would not be surprised to find out WHO is involved in the death culture move on America. Medicare..Medicaid...insurance companies...euthanasia addicts...scientology members.....liberals.....etc.etc.etc.
It may well be that this is another issue that will need to be pushed by the grassrooters because of the political lobbyists.
You touch on some very interesting questions. Suppose two opposite hypotheticals, both assuming that I have a living will and it is specific and 'iron-clad'.
Hypo #1: My living will provides that in the condition in which I am found, I definitely DO want to be kept alive, but my physicians are in complete agreement that the medical maintenance which would be required to do so, isn't "medically necessary" to treat the disease or condition from which I suffer (and from all agree that I cannot recover), but rather are necessary only to prolonging my life. My insurance company declines to pay for such maintenance activities in light of my physicians' opinion. My guardian sues saying that, nonetheless, it was my wish. Assuming the genuiness of my wishes are not disputed, who should win?
Hypo #2 My living will provides that in the condition in which I am found, I definitely DO NOT want to be kept alive, and my physicians are NOT in complete agreement that the medical maintenance which would be required to do so, isn't "medically necessary" to treat the disease or condition from which I suffer (and from most though not all agree that I cannot recover). (Some (a minority) of my physicians think there is a small possibility of my recovery.) My insurance company offers to pay for such maintenance activities in light of my guardian's desire to keep me alive and the split among physicians' views on 'medical necessity.' Other premium payers of my mutual-type insurer sue my insurer saying that, in light of my clear direction, the maintenance cannot be 'medically necessary' even though some physicians think there is some small possibility of my recovery. [Their argument is they are damaged in higher premiums by such very expensive maintenance efforts and that the insurer is breaching its contract with them by paying for such efforts when I have clearly said I don't want them.] Assuming the genuiness of my wishes are not disputed, who should win?
Interesting stuff, either way.