The Health Law and Policy Coordinating Committee is forming a group of attorneys interested in making policy recommendations to CMS on the appropriateness of its current policies on advance directives (e.g., requiring discussions about advance directives in facility and hospital conditions of participation and compensating physicians to initiate such discussions). The policy concerns stem from recent research by Susan Shapiro of the National Bar Foundation which found advanced directives to be ineffective. Because state laws form the foundation of the documentation used and elder abuse is a big issue for many state Attorney Generals, we would like to receive input from representatives of state Attorney General offices if possible. If anyone has contacts with a state attorney general office or the National Association of Attorneys General and would be interested in helping with this initiative, please contact Simeon Carson ([email protected]).