A Living Will, or Advance Health Care Directive, gives you a right to determine in advance what extraordinary means will or will not be used in the event you suffer a catastrophic illness or injury–if the situation should arise in which there is no reasonable expectation of your recovery from physical or mental disability, such as if you have a condition that is incurable or irreversible and virtually certain to result in death within a relatively short period of time, or if you am in a coma, a persistent vegetative state or a state of permanent unconsciousness which is definitely irreversible.
The Pennsylvania statue sets forth safeguards, allows you to appoint a trusted person to make decisions and is legally enforceable. Recently, the Pennsylvania law has changed and Health Care Powers of Attorney and Living Wills have been combined in one comprehensive document covering all health care decisions.