Mandatory End-of Life Instructions

No one likes to make out a "living will", and they seem to be really complicated. Thus, many people have no clear instructions if they are in a noncommunicating, persistent vegetative state, or a non-vegetative life-support situation. This puts loved ones in the agonizing position of having to decide when to pull the plug. Recent events have shown how far-reaching such decisions can be.

I think the government might be able to make end-of-life instructions easier to leave, if the process were simplified and mandatory. For instance, every U.S. adult receives forms from the IRS or SSA several times a year. One could be given a form that offers, say, five trim levels of end-of-life instructions, ranging from "Keep me alive until I liquefy" down to "Kill me tomorrow". If the form is not filled in and filed with the SSA, you are listed at level three by default (Keep me going until the total cost exceeds one million dollars, then let me go). There would also be an option for filing a customized Living Will, for those with means and time on their hands.

Most people would probably choose to go with the default option, which may change like other regulatory adjustments, but everyone would have some kind of clear instructions on file in a public record. You might receive a form every five years, asking you to confirm your choice, and giving you the opportunity to make adjustments. Of course, a change of option form can be filed at any time, and its provisions would be considered effective upon its receipt by the SSA.