Last week, President Obama signed a memorandum requiring any hospital that received Medicare or Medicaid funding to permit gays and lesbians to have non-family visitors and to grant their partners medical power of attorney.
Prior to this legislation, many hospitals insisted that only family members by blood or marriage be allowed to visit patients - denying gay and lesbians partners to visit, even during a major health crisis.
The long-standing debate and recent changes to the law underscore the importance of estate planning for gay and lesbian couples and families.