[Ghoulish Delight]

Hospitals are already adapting to the emerging concept of a living will. The only reason they get away with ignoring other agreements is that they are supported by existing laws that can override them. If those didn't exist it'd be a different story.

Unfortunately Alex is right that the odds of the government giving up that control are low. I'm with NM that the ideal solution would be for the government to butt out, for people to be allowed to make their own decision as to who their legal partner is. With the concept of government recognized marriage non-existent, hospitals and other entities would have no choice but to go by those agreements. But it's all too ingrained in the culture at this point for that to ever happen.