Medical Power of Attorney. Health Care Power of Attorney Forms. Download Online Advance Medical Directive
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Medical Power of Attorney is
an important legal document. This document gives the person you name as your agent the authority to make any and all health care decisions for you in accordance
with your wishes, including your religious and moral beliefs, when you are no longer capable of making them yourself. Because "health care" means any treatment,
service, or procedure to maintain, diagnoses, or treat your physical or mental condition, your agent has the power to make a broad range of health care decisions
for you. Your agent may consent, refuse to consent, or withdraw consent to medical treatment and may make decisions about withdrawing or withholding life-sustaining
treatment. Your agent may not consent to voluntary inpatient mental health services, convulsive treatment, psychosurgery, or abortion. A physician must
comply with your agent's instructions or allow you to be transferred to another physician.
Your agent's authority begins when your doctor certifies that you lack the competence to make health care decisions..
Your agent is obligated to follow your instructions when making decisions on your behalf. Unless you state otherwise, your agent has the same authority to make decisions about your health care as you would have had.
It is important that you discuss this document with your physician or other health care provider before you sign it to make sure that you understand the nature and range of decisions that may be made on your behalf. If you do not have a physician, you should talk with someone else who is knowledgeable about these issues and can answer your questions. You do not need a lawyer's assistance to complete this document, but if there is anything in this document that you do not understand, you should ask a lawyer to explain it to you.
The person you appoint as agent should be someone you know and trust. The person must be 18 years of age or older or a person under 18 years of age who has had the disabilities of minority removed. If you appoint your health or residential care provider (e.g., your physician or an employee of a home health agency, hospital, nursing home or residential care home, other than a relative), that person has to choose between acting as your agent or as your health or residential care provider, the law does not permit a person to do both at the same time.
You should inform the person you appoint that you want the person to be your health care agent. You should discuss this document with your agent and your physician and give each a signed copy. You should indicate on the document itself the people and institutions who have signed copies. Your agent is not liable for health care decisions made in good faith on your behalf.
Even after you have signed this document, you have the right to make health care decisions for yourself as long as you are able to do so and treatment cannot be given to you or stopped over your objection. You have the right to revoke the authority granted to your agent by informing your agent or your health or residential care provider orally or in writing or by your execution of a subsequent medical power of attorney. Unless you state otherwise, your appointment of a spouse dissolves on divorce.
This document may not be changed or modified. If you want to make changes in the document, you must make an entirely new one.
You may wish to designate an alternate agent in the event that your agent is unwilling, unable, or ineligible to act as your agent. An alternate agent you designate has the same authority to make health care decisions for you.
THIS POWER OF ATTORNEY IS NOT VALID UNLESS IT IS SIGNED IN THE PRESENCE OF TWO COMPETENT ADULT WITNESSES.
THE FOLLOWING PERSONS MAY NOT ACT AS ONE OF THE WITNESSES:
1. The person you have designated as your agent;
2. The person you have designated as your agent
3. A person entitled to any part of your estate after your death under a will or codicil executed by you or by operation of law;
4. Your attending physician;
5. An employee of your attending physician;
6. An employee of a health care facility in which you are a patient if the employee is providing direct patient care to you or is an officer, director, partner, or business office employee of the health care facility or of any parent organization of the health care facility; or
7. A person who, at the time this power of attorney is executed, has a claim against any part of your estate after your death.
Previous Page
or
To better understand the power of attorney related issues, our legal articles, an information and frequently asked questions may be of
interest to you.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Different types of powers of attorney
There are "Nondurable ," "Durable," and "Springing" Power of Attorney ...
|
|
|
|
|
Protect your relationship by POA
A power of attorney is a document that allows you to dictate who you would like to make decisions ...
|
|
|
|
|
Who Will Make Life or Death Decisions?
One of the most difficult things about choosing your legal decision-maker is discussing end-of-life ...
|
|
|
|
|
Close to Home: Why it's important to have that talk about death and dying
Santa Rosa Press Democrat
As a therapist, I know well that some of us don't have a child, sibling or partner to entrust as our durable power of attorney for health care. My Care, My Plan can inform you of other choices. You might consider a close friend, your attorney or a ...
|
|
|
Importance of having an Advance Directive
KTIV
"If a person was to be in a condition that the medical team felt was incurable and irreversible, that person is able to give that indication ahead of time about the kind of care they want in that situation" said Mercy Medical Center Hospital Chaplain ...
|
|
|
Don't Let Your Power Of Attorney Become Powerless
Forbes
One of the cornerstones of a solid financial plan is properly configured estate planning documentation—especially your medical and financial powers of attorney (POA). POAs give you the ability to legally authorize an individual to handle your affairs ...
|
|
|
Estate Planning 101 for Same-Sex Couples | News OK
NewsOK.com
Most couples can benefit from estate planning to ensure their assets land in the right hands after they die and their health care wishes are followed.
|
|
|
Steven Merrell, Financial Planning: You need a health care proxy
Monterey County Herald
A health care proxy is sometimes referred to as a “durable power of attorney for health care.” With your health care proxy, you grant someone the authority to make medical decisions on your behalf in the event you are unable to do so yourself. It is ...
|
|
|
Making Your Medical Wishes Known
WOWT
You should also have a Durable Power of Attorney for Health care. "You name at least one person to make your decisions for you. If you can't make them anymore," she explained. For Example, "When there's a dementia diagnosis or an obvious vegetative ...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|