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What is an Advance Care Plan?
Think of this document as a better, more comprehensive Advance Directive (you may know it as a “Living Will”). Most commonly found Advance Directives are not detailed enough to be useful for doctors or families. They don’t have enough information about the kind of care that will guarantee the quality of life you wish to have if you can’t make your own medical decisions. Koda helps you create values-based, comprehensive instructions that give you, your family and your healthcare providers confidence that they are doing exactly as you wish.
Why do I need to fill out an advance directive?
An advance directive (also called a living will) allows you to express what values, quality of life, and care options are important to you. If you are in a condition where you aren’t able to make medical decisions, this document is important to ensure you get the type of treatment that you would want. Whether that might be no medical intervention, all the medical interventions, or somewhere in between, this document allows you to tell your doctors and loved ones what matters to you.
Why is my doctor asking me to do this?
Going through this platform helps your doctors and loved ones know what care is important to you and helps you plan for your care if you become seriously ill.
Do I need to pay anything for this service?
Koda Health is completely free to use, access, and make your advance medical care plan legal.
I already filled out an advance directive - do I need to fill this out again?
It’s important to review your advance directives frequently, since your preferences might change. The Koda platform also explores what values and quality of life is important to you in more depth. Thus, we recommend that you complete this document to provide your doctors and loved ones with more clarity.
Is this ACP the same as a Will?
No. An ACP is for when you are still alive and is your legally protected instructions about the type of medical care you want if you can’t make medical decisions for yourself (eg, you are in a coma or on life support). A Will (or Last Will and Testament) is only relevant after your death and instructs how you wish to distribute your money, possessions and property.
My family knows what I want, do I really need to do this?
Although it’s great your family knows what you want, it’s always good to have your medical care choices in writing and have something that your doctors and hospital can access quickly. This is an easy way to get that done.
What do I do after I’ve filled it out?
Depending on your state’s requirements, you will need to sign the document, and you may need to get the document notarized or have witnesses sign it as well. After this has been completed, you should ensure that your medical decision makers (and any other loved ones), your doctors, and your hospitals have a copy.
Koda guides you through the steps to help you complete the requirements for your state of legal residence. After this step has been completed, Koda will ensure that anyone you authorize — medical Power of Attorney, loved ones, your doctors, your hospitals — will always have access to your AMCP.
What if I change my decisions after I filled out and finalized the form?
It is very common for people’s preferences and decisions to change. Everyone’s health or minds change throughout their lives. Because our form is digital it is easy to make changes. After any change Koda will help you sign the changed document and go through any required notarization or witnessing process again. You should then get the revised documents to your medical decision makers (and any other loved ones), your doctors, and your hospitals.
I don’t have an email address. What do I do?
You can create a guest account and not provide an email. However, if you wish to access this information again, you will need to contact the Koda support team to convert your account and provide an email address.
How do I speak to a Koda team member?
You can reach us by text message or phone call at 832-736-3116, email us at care@kodahealthcare.com, or by filling out the Contact Us form in this chat.
I have another question
We love questions! You can contact the Koda care team anytime by emailing care@kodahealthcare.com or filling out the Contact Us form on this page. If you don’t have an email, make sure to leave your phone number.
Have a question not answered here?
Get in touch with our team and we’ll get back to you.