What an Oregon advance directive does
An advance directive is your own legal document for health care decisions if you can't speak for yourself. Oregon's form has two main parts: appointing a health care representative (and an alternate) to make decisions for you, and writing health care instructions about life-sustaining treatment and your values. The current form comes from Senate Bill 199, passed by the 2021 Legislature. OHA says you don't have to use its exact form, but any form you use must be substantially the same.
How to make one
- Get the form and guide. Download the Oregon Advance Directive for Health Care and the user's guide from OHA's Advance Directive Forms page, in English, Spanish and 17 other languages.
- Talk with the person you want to name. Your health care representative accepts the appointment by signing the acceptance section, or by telling a third party they've accepted (ORS 127.525).
- Write your wishes. Use the instruction sections to say what treatments you would or wouldn't want and what matters most to you.
- Sign before two adult witnesses or a notary. Witnesses must see you sign or acknowledge your signature. Neither can be your attending doctor or health care provider, or your named representative.
- Share copies. Give copies to your representative, your doctor and your hospital, and keep the original where family can find it.
Advance directive and POLST
An advance directive is for any adult, ideally made while you're healthy. If you become seriously ill or frail, your clinician can also complete a POLST, a medical order emergency crews follow, which goes into the Oregon POLST Registry. See What is a POLST form in Oregon?
What Medicare covers
| Visit | Your cost for advance care planning |
|---|---|
| Yearly Wellness visit or Welcome to Medicare visit | Nothing, if your provider accepts assignment |
| Other visits | Part B deductible ($283 in 2026), then 20% coinsurance |
Planning is voluntary, and you can update your advance directive at any time. Medicare doesn't pay for a lawyer. For coverage questions you can request a call from a licensed insurance agent. More in our guide to end-of-life care and Medicare in Oregon.
Related questions
What is a POLST form in Oregon?
Medical orders for serious illness.
Does Medicare cover hospice in Oregon?
Comfort care under Part A.
Does Medicare pay for Death with Dignity?
What federal law allows.
Sources
- Oregon Health Authority — Advance Directive Forms
- ORS 127.515 — Execution of advance directive; witnesses
- ORS 127.525 — Acceptance of appointment
- Oregon Health Authority — Advance Directive Adoption Committee
- Medicare.gov — Advance care planning
More questions in this guide
- Can I use Death with Dignity while on hospice in Oregon?
- Does Medicare cover hospice care in Oregon?
- Does Medicare pay for Death with Dignity in Oregon?
- What is a POLST form in Oregon?
Part of the guide: End-of-Life Medicare in Oregon · All questions
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a lawyer to make an advance directive in Oregon?
No. The form is designed to be completed on your own, and OHA publishes a user's guide. Some people ask an attorney or their doctor for help, especially with complex wishes.
Who can't be a witness?
Your attending physician or health care provider, and the person you name as your health care representative or alternate, can't be witnesses. If you live in a long-term care facility, one witness must be someone the facility designates.
Can someone from another state use Oregon's form?
Yes. ORS 127.515 lets an Oregon resident, or a resident of another state while physically present in Oregon, execute an Oregon advance directive.
Does Medicare pay for help filling it out?
Medicare Part B covers voluntary advance care planning with your doctor. It costs nothing during your yearly Wellness visit if your provider accepts assignment.
Medicare in your Oregon county
Plans, local agents and help, county by county: Multnomah · Washington · Clackamas · Lane · Marion · Jackson · Deschutes · Linn · Douglas · Yamhill · Benton · Polk · Josephine · Umatilla · Klamath · Coos · Columbia · Lincoln · Clatsop · Malheur · All 36 counties →
