Maryland’s
updated
advance
directive
forms,
which
grant
three
new
rights
to
couples,
are
now
available.
Completed
forms
guarantee
Marylanders — gay
or
straight — that
a
person
they
designate
can
visit
them
in
the
hospital,
ride
along
in
ambulances
and
make
funeral
arrangements
on
their
behalf.
“With
the
changes
in
advance
directive
laws
that
we
helped
push
through,
couples
can
have
these
protections
if
they
take
the
time,”
said
Dan
Furmansky,
executive
director
of
Equality
Maryland.
Updated
forms
are
included
within
a
state
pamphlet
titled
“Maryland
Advance
Directive:
Planning
for
Future
Health
Care
Decisions.”
It
can
be
requested
from
the
attorney
general’s
office,
at
410-576-0637,
or
downloaded
from
that
office’s
website.
The
forms
are
found
in
the
pamphlet
marked
“Revised
May
2006.”
Equality
Maryland
and
other
statewide
organizations
are
encouraging
gay
Marylanders
to
obtain
and
complete
the
pamphlet
to
secure
their
rights.
“Maryland
law
does
not
treat
same-sex
couples
as
family,”
Furmansky
said.
“Advance
directives,
and
especially
these
new
rights,
give
us
the
opportunity
to
act
as
the
family
we
really
are.”
Terrance
Heath,
a
37-year-old
gay
man
who
lives
with
his
partner
in
Chevy
Chase,
Md.,
said
he
will
complete
the
forms
and
encourages
other
couples
to
do
so.
“I
think
that
it’s
largely
a
personal
decision,”
he
said.
“But
you
have
to
keep
in
mind,
since
Sept.
11,
you
don’t
know
what’s
going
to
happen.
You
don’t
want
to
be
in
a
situation
where
someone
you
love
is
sick
or
dying,
and
be
unable
to
prove
your
relationship,
and
prove
what
their
wishes
are.”
The
17-page
state
pamphlet
explains
Maryland’s
various
advance
directive
rights,
and
how
residents
can
designate
a
“health
care
agent.”
Such
designees
are
essential,
as
they
are
the
only
ones
guaranteed
the
advance
directive
rights.
The
pamphlet
suggests
identifying
alternate
designees,
in
case
the
primary
designee
is
unavailable.
Heath
said
he
and
his
partner,
Richard
Imirowicz,
39,
previously
named
each
other
as
the
primary
designee
and
family
members
as
backups.
“I
previously
had
a
job
with
a
non-profit
that
focused
on
end-of-life
care,”
Heath
said,
“and
that
made
me
aware
of
the
importance
of
advance
directives
and
medical
power
of
attorney,
especially
for
same-sex
couples
who
lack
ways
to
easily
legalize
a
relationship.”
Heath
estimated
he
spent
about
$3,000
to
have
a
lawyer
draft
documents
guaranteeing
advance
directive
rights
for
him
and
his
partner.
The
new
forms,
which
hold
the
same
legal
weight,
are
free.
Heath
said
he’s
planning
to
complete
the
new
forms
to
make
certain
his
rights
are
guaranteed.
“Even
though
we
already
have
documents,”
he
said,
“it
can’t
hurt
to
have
more.”
Those
who
complete
the
advance
directive
forms
should
give
copies
to
their
doctors,
all
designated
health
care
agents
and
family
members,
according
to
Equality
Maryland.
“Advance
directives
are
especially
important
for
LGBT
Marylanders
because
under
current
law,
same-sex
couples,
no
matter
how
long
they’ve
been
together,
are
not
considered
next
of
kin,”
according
to
the
Equality
Maryland
website
says.
“Without
an
advance
directive,
your
partner’s
blood
relatives
will
be
called
upon
to
make
decisions
in
your
stead.”
New
rights
take
effect
Oct.
1
Furmansky
said
the
updated
advance
directive
benefits
become
effective
Oct.
1.
The
expanded
rights
were
enacted
earlier
this
year
via
a
bill
authored
by
Sen.
Paula
Hollinger
(D-Baltimore
County)
and
Del.
James
Hubbard
(D-Prince
George’s
County).
The
bill
became
law
without
the
signature
of
Republican
Gov.
Robert
Ehrlich.
Legislation
that
passes
the
Maryland
General
Assembly,
and
is
neither
signed
nor
vetoed
by
the
governor,
automatically
becomes
law.
Ehrlich
previously
vetoed
the
Medical
Decisions
Making
Act,
a
bill
passed
by
the
legislature
last
year
that
included
more
extensive
benefits
for
unmarried
couples
not
covered
in
the
new
advance
directives
law.
A
separate
Maryland
bill
passed
this
year
creates
a
registry
for
advance
directive
forms.
That
bill,
which
was
sponsored
by
Ehrlich,
allows
residents
to
file
their
completed
forms
with
the
Department
of
Health
&
Mental
Hygiene.
That
registry
is
still
being
developed,
though,
and
is
not
yet
available.
Heath
said
he
was
unsurprised
by
the
governor’s
lack
of
support,
but
added
he’s
nonetheless
pleased
to
have
the
expanded
rights.
