2018 Kentucky Revised Statutes CHAPTER 311 - PHYSICIANS, OSTEOPATHS, PODIATRISTS, AND RELATED MEDICAL PRACTITIONERS .637 Withholding or withdrawal of life-prolonging treatment under KRS 311.621 to 311.643 not to constitute suicide -- Effect on insurance or health care coverage -- Directives made outside KRS 311.621 to 311.643.
Download as PDF
311.637
Withholding or withdrawal of life-prolonging treatment under KRS
311.621 to 311.643 not to constitute suicide -- Effect on insurance or health
care coverage -- Directives made outside KRS 311.621 to 311.643.
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)
(6)
The withholding or withdrawal of life-prolonging treatment or artificially provided
nutrition and hydration from a grantor in accordance with the provisions of KRS
311.621 to 311.643 shall not, for any purpose, constitute a suicide. The making of
an advance directive under KRS 311.621 to 311.629, a medical order for scope of
treatment under KRS 311.6225, or a health care decision by a responsible party
under KRS 311.621 to 311.643 shall not affect in any manner the sale, procurement,
or issuance of any policy of life insurance, nor shall it be considered to modify the
terms of an existing policy of life insurance. Notwithstanding any term of the policy
to the contrary, no policy of life insurance shall be legally impaired or invalidated in
any manner by a health care decision made by a surrogate or responsible party or by
the withholding or withdrawal from an insured patient any medical procedure or
intervention which would serve only to prolong artificially the dying process.
No person, corporation, or governmental agency shall require or induce any person
to execute a living will directive or a medical order for scope of treatment under
KRS 311.6225, or to make a health care decision as a responsible party under KRS
311.621 to 311.643, as a condition for a contract or for the provision of any service,
medical treatment, or benefit.
Nothing in KRS 311.621 to 311.643 shall be construed to impose any liability on a
surrogate or responsible party for any expenses of the grantor for which the
surrogate or responsible party would not otherwise have been liable.
KRS 311.621 to 311.643 shall not create a presumption concerning the intention of
an adult who has revoked or has not executed an advance directive or a medical
order for scope of treatment under KRS 311.6225, with respect to the use,
withholding, or withdrawal of life-prolonging treatment if a terminal condition
exists.
KRS 311.621 to 311.643 shall not affect the common law or statutory right of an
adult to make decisions regarding the use of life-prolonging treatment, so long as
the adult is able to do so, or impair or supersede any common law or statutory right
that an adult has to effect the withholding or withdrawing of medical care.
KRS 311.621 to 311.643 shall not preclude or restrict the right of persons to make
advance directives outside the provisions of KRS 311.621 to 311.643; and KRS
311.621 to 311.643 shall not restrict or preclude medical personnel, physicians,
nurses, or health care facilities from following other written advance directives
consistent with accepted medical practice.
Effective: June 24, 2015
History: Amended 2015 Ky. Acts ch. 3, sec. 5, effective June 24, 2015. -- Created 1994
Ky. Acts ch. 235, sec. 9, effective July 15, 1994.
Disclaimer: These codes may not be the most recent version. Kentucky may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.