Advance directives and health care proxies: recent developments in the law.

The last few years have brought rapid developments in the law regarding advance directives--both statutory and case law. This article provides an overview of these changes, including the recent amendments to the Medicare and Medicaid laws requiring hospitals and other institutional health care providers to inform adult patients and educate staff and the community about the availability and use of advance directives and the New York and Massachusetts statutes providing for the appointment of health care agents by proxy.