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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>78993</law_id><section_number>54.1-2991</section_number><catch_line>Effect of declaration; suicide; insurance; declarations executed prior to effective date</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>54.1-2982</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="54.1">Professions and Occupations</unit><unit label="subtitle" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="III">Professions and Occupations Regulated by Boards Within the Department of Health Professions</unit><unit label="chapter" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="29">Medicine and Other Healing Arts</unit><unit label="article" level="4" order_by="1" identifier="8">Health Care Decisions Act</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>The withholding or withdrawal of <span class="dictionary">life-prolonging procedures</span> in accordance with the provisions of this article shall not, for any purpose, constitute a suicide. Nor shall the making of an <span class="dictionary">advance directive</span> pursuant to this article affect the sale, procurement or issuance of any policy of life insurance, nor shall the making of an <span class="dictionary">advance directive</span> or the issuance of a <span class="dictionary">Durable Do Not Resuscitate Order</span> pursuant to this article be deemed to modify the terms of an existing policy of life insurance. No policy of life insurance shall be legally impaired or invalidated by the withholding or withdrawal of <span class="dictionary">life-prolonging procedures</span> from an insured patient in accordance with this article, notwithstanding any term of the policy to the contrary. A person shall not be required to make an <span class="dictionary">advance directive</span> or consent to a <span class="dictionary">Durable Do Not Resuscitate order</span> as a condition for being insured for, or receiving, <span class="dictionary">health care</span> services.
		The declaration of any patient made prior to July 1, 1983, an <span class="dictionary">advance directive</span> made prior to July 1, 1992, or the issuance, in accordance with the then current <span class="dictionary">law</span>, of a Do Not Resuscitate Order or an Emergency Medical Services Do Not Resuscitate Order prior to July 1, 1999, shall be given effect as provided in this article.</p></section></text><history>1983, c. 532, &#xA7; 54-325.8:11; 1988, c. 765; 1992, cc. 412, 748, 772; 1999, c. 814; 2009, cc. 211, 268.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
