{"data":{"id":"us-ar/ark.-code-ann.-20-6-309","jurisdiction":"us-ar","citation":"Ark. Code Ann. § 20-6-309","heading":"Voluntary signing","body":"(a) The signing of a physician order for life-sustaining treatment form by a patient or legal representative of the patient is voluntary. (b) (1) A person or entity, including without limitation a healthcare provider, healthcare facility, employer, or health insurance carrier, shall not require an individual to execute a physician order for life-sustaining treatment form as a condition of being insured for, or receiving, healthcare services. (2) If a healthcare provider or healthcare facility complies with subdivision (b)(1) of this section, the healthcare provider or healthcare facility may have a policy to offer a physician order for life-sustaining treatment form to appropriate individuals as part of a conversation about: (A) Goals of care; (B) Personal values and preferences; (C) Benefits of various treatment options; and (D) Avoidance of unwanted burden. (c) This subchapter does not: (1) Create a presumption concerning the intention of an individual who has not executed a physician order for life-sustaining treatment form with respect to the use, withholding, or withdrawal of life-sustaining procedures in the event of a terminal condition; or (2) Affect the right of an individual to make decisions regarding the use of life-sustaining procedures as long as the individual has the capacity to make a decision. Added by Act 2017, No. 504,§ 1, eff. 8/1/2017.\n\n(a) The signing of a physician order for life-sustaining treatment form by a patient or legal representative of the patient is voluntary.\n\n(b) (1) A person or entity, including without limitation a healthcare provider, healthcare facility, employer, or health insurance carrier, shall not require an individual to execute a physician order for life-sustaining treatment form as a condition of being insured for, or receiving, healthcare services. (2) If a healthcare provider or healthcare facility complies with subdivision (b)(1) of this section, the healthcare provider or healthcare facility may have a policy to offer a physician order for life-sustaining treatment form to appropriate individuals as part of a conversation about: (A) Goals of care; (B) Personal values and preferences; (C) Benefits of various treatment options; and (D) Avoidance of unwanted burden.\n\n(1) A person or entity, including without limitation a healthcare provider, healthcare facility, employer, or health insurance carrier, shall not require an individual to execute a physician order for life-sustaining treatment form as a condition of being insured for, or receiving, healthcare services.\n\n(2) If a healthcare provider or healthcare facility complies with subdivision (b)(1) of this section, the healthcare provider or healthcare facility may have a policy to offer a physician order for life-sustaining treatment form to appropriate individuals as part of a conversation about: (A) Goals of care; (B) Personal values and preferences; (C) Benefits of various treatment options; and (D) Avoidance of unwanted burden.\n\n(A) Goals of care;\n\n(B) Personal values and preferences;\n\n(C) Benefits of various treatment options; and\n\n(D) Avoidance of unwanted burden.\nto offer a physician order for life-sustaining treatment form to appropriate individuals as part of a conversation about: (A) Goals of care; (B) Personal values and preferences; (C) Benefits of various treatment options; and (D) Avoidance of unwanted burden.\n\n(A) Goals of care;\n\n(B) Personal values and preferences;\n\n(C) Benefits of various treatment options; and\n\n(D) Avoidance of unwanted burden.\n\n(c) This subchapter does not: (1) Create a presumption concerning the intention of an individual who has not executed a physician order for life-sustaining treatment form with respect to the use, withholding, or withdrawal of life-sustaining procedures in the event of a terminal condition; or (2) Affect the right of an individual to make decisions regarding the use of life-sustaining procedures as long as the individual has the capacity to make a decision.\n\n(1) Create a presumption concerning the intention of an individual who has not executed a physician order for life-sustaining treatment form with respect to the use, withholding, or withdrawal of life-sustaining procedures in the event of a terminal condition; or\n\n(2) Affect the right of an individual to make decisions regarding the use of life-sustaining procedures as long as the individual has the capacity to make a decision.","path":["AR Code","Title 20","Chapter 6","Subchapter 3"],"source_url":"https://oss-data-us.vaquill.ai/v2026.08/us_ar_statutes.parquet","current_through":"2026-08-14","vintage":"open-us-law v2026.08, retrieved 2026-09-14","retrieved_at":"2026-09-14T18:32:41Z","sha256":"994b8d34871c1274e906f86a3929649a8204d68cae12a797f0ed7f9b85a44b25","source_id":"us-ar","stale":false,"prev":"us-ar/ark.-code-ann.-20-6-308","next":"us-ar/ark.-code-ann.-20-6-310"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}