Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes

20 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 5421 (2026)

Applicability.

✓ current as of May 2026

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CHAPTER 54

HEALTH CARE

Subchapter

A. General Provisions

B. Living Wills

C. Health Care Agents and Representatives

D. Combined Form

E. Out-of-Hospital Nonresuscitation

Enactment. Chapter 54 was added November 29, 2006, P.L.1484, No.169, effective in 60 days.

Prior Provisions. Former Chapter 54, which related to advance directive for health care, was added April 16, 1992, P.L.108, No.24, and deleted by amendment November 29, 2006, P.L.1484, No.169, effective in 60 days.

Special Provisions in Appendix. See sections 6 and 7 of Act 169 of 2006 in the appendix to this title for special provisions relating to regulations and validity of declarations under former chapter.

Cross References. Chapter 54 is referred to in section 2713 of Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses).

SUBCHAPTER A

GENERAL PROVISIONS

Sec.

5421. Applicability.

5422. Definitions.

5423. Legislative findings and intent.

5424. Compliance.

5425. Conflicting advance health care directives.

5426. Death not suicide or homicide.

5427. Life insurance.

5428. Health care instruments optional.

5429. Pregnancy.

5430. Effect of divorce.

5431. Liability.

5432. Criminal penalties.

5433. Forms.

5434. Construction.

§ 5421. Applicability.

(a) General rule.--This chapter applies to advance health care directives and out-of-hospital nonresuscitation orders.

(b) Preservation of existing rights.--The provisions of this chapter shall not impair or supersede any existing rights or responsibilities not addressed in this chapter.

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 1 case, 2018–2018 · leading case: Order Rescinding & Replacing Rules 14.1 Through 14.5 & Forms G-01 Through G-04, & Amending Rules 1.5, 5.10 Through 5.12 & Index to Appendix of PA Orphans' Court Rules (Pa. 2018).

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Order Rescinding & Replacing Rules 14.1 Through 14.5 & Forms G-01 Through G-04, & Amending Rules 1.5, 5.10 Through 5.12 & Index to Appendix of PA Orphans' Court Rules (Pa. 2018). “esidential services to the alleged incapacitated person; (5) Names and addresses of other service providers and nature of services being provided; (6) Whether there is an executed health care power of attorney or advance health care directive pursuant to Title 20, Chapter 54,…”

Annotations are extracted automatically from the opinions in the Syfert caselaw corpus and ranked by authority, recency, and treatment. Dots show Syfertize treatment of the citing case itself.