154.25 General provisions. (1) SUICIDE. Under this subchapter, the withholding or withdrawing of resuscitation from a patient wearing a valid do-not-resuscitate bracelet does not, for any purpose, constitute suicide. Requesting a do-not-resuscitate order under this subchapter does not, for any purpose, constitute attempted suicide. (2) LIFE INSURANCE. Requesting a do-not-resuscitate order under s. 154.19 may not be used to impair in any manner the procurement of any policy of life insurance, and may not be used to modify the terms of an existing policy of life insurance. No policy of life insurance may be impaired in any manner by the withholding or withdrawal of resuscitation from a qualified patient. (3) HEALTH INSURANCE. No person may be required to re-
ADVANCE DIRECTIVES
154.29
quest a do-not-resuscitate order as a condition prior to being admitted to a health care facility or being insured for, or receiving, health care services. (4) OTHER RIGHTS. This subchapter does not impair or supersede any of the following: (a) A person’s right to withhold or withdraw resuscitation. (b) The right of any person who does not have a do-not-resuscitate order in effect to receive resuscitation. (5) INTENT. Failure to request a do-not-resuscitate order creates no presumption that the person consents to the use or withholding of resuscitation in the event that the person suffers from a condition that renders the person a qualified patient. (6) VALID DO-NOT-RESUSCITATE BRACELET. A do-not-resuscitate bracelet that has not been removed, altered, or tampered with in any way shall be presumed valid, unless the patient, the patient’s guardian, or the patient’s health care agent expresses to the emergency medical services practitioner, emergency medical responder, or emergency health care facility personnel the patient’s desire to be resuscitated. (6m) DESIRE OF THE PATIENT. The desire of a patient to be resuscitated supersedes the effect of that patient’s do-not-resuscitate order at all times. (7) CONSTRUCTION. Nothing in this subchapter condones, authorizes or permits any affirmative or deliberate act to end life other than to permit the natural process of dying. History: 1995 a. 200; 1997 a. 27; 2017 a. 12.
154.27 Specifications and distribution of do-not-resuscitate bracelet. (1) The department shall establish by rule a uniform standard for the size, color, and design of all donot-resuscitate bracelets. Except as provided in sub. (2), the rules shall require that the do-not-resuscitate bracelets include the inscription “Do Not Resuscitate”; the name, address, date of birth and gender of the patient; and the name, business telephone number and signature of the attending health care professional issuing the order. (2) The department may approve a do-not-resuscitate bracelet developed and distributed by a commercial vendor if the bracelet contains an emblem that displays an internationally recognized medical symbol on the front and the words “Wisconsin Do-NotResuscitate-EMS” and the qualified patient’s first and last name on the back. The department may not approve a do-not-resuscitate bracelet developed and distributed by a commercial vendor if the vendor does not require a doctor’s order for the bracelet prior to distributing it to a patient. History: 1995 a. 200; 1999 a. 9; 2019 a. 90. Cross-reference: See also ch. DHS 125, Wis. adm. code.