Final answer:
The federal act that requires health care providers to provide information to patients about their rights to make decisions regarding their health care and to have advance directives is the Patient Self-Determination Act (PSDA).
Step-by-step explanation:
Enacted by Congress in 1990, the Patient Self-Determination Act (PSDA) is a federal legislation that mandates healthcare providers receiving Medicare and Medicaid funding to furnish patients with essential information regarding their rights in making decisions about their healthcare. Applicable to a broad spectrum of healthcare providers, the PSDA holds the key requirement of informing patients comprehensively about their autonomy in medical decision-making and the option to establish advance directives.
Under the PSDA, healthcare providers are obligated to convey to patients their entitlement to actively participate in decisions pertaining to their medical treatment. This includes the explicit right to refuse treatment and the opportunity to create advance directives, allowing individuals to articulate their preferences for future healthcare interventions. By extending these rights to patients, the PSDA aims to empower individuals in shaping their own medical care and ensuring that their wishes are respected.
Crucially, the PSDA serves as a crucial mechanism to enhance patient autonomy and promote informed decision-making in the realm of healthcare. Its application to healthcare providers receiving Medicare and Medicaid funding underscores the broad scope of its influence in safeguarding patient rights and fostering a healthcare environment grounded in transparency and respect for individual choices.