How Can A Power of Attorney for Health Care Help Me?

 Posted on January 15, 2020 in Estate Planning

People vary dramatically in their feelings regarding medical treatment. Some people want every possible medical intervention to be taken, even if those medical treatments will only slightly extend the duration of their lives. Other people only want the bare minimum actions taken if they become seriously ill or injured.

Have you ever considered the types of medical treatments you would want to undergo if you became extremely sick? What if you were too sick to express these wishes? A power of attorney for healthcare is a type of estate planning instrument that can allow you to take your future medical care decisions into your own hands.

Health Care Power of Attorney Basics

Through a power of attorney for health care, you can designate someone to make medical decisions on your behalf. The document gives this individual authority to make decisions about your medical treatments if you cannot do so yourself. Instead of a doctor who you may have never met making these decisions—and who might not share your personal values—you can entrust these important decisions to someone you know and trust. The individual you designate to speak on your behalf is called a health care proxy or agent. Your proxy may be a close friend, spouse, family member, or anyone else you choose. Once you have chosen who your proxy will be, you can have a conversation with him or her about the actions you do and do not want taken if you become gravely ill.

How a Power of Attorney for Health Care Benefits You and Your Family

Many of us have seen the fallout caused by family arguments. When someone becomes extremely sick or injured, his or her loved ones may disagree about the types of medical care he or she should receive. For example, the sick person’s adult children may insist that tube feeding or mechanical ventilation is an appropriate choice, while the sick person’s spouse disagrees. When you have a designated power of attorney for health care, there is no question as to who has the authority to make these decisions. If you ever change your mind about your health care proxy or decide that a different individual would be a more appropriate choice, you can modify your health care power of attorney document to reflect your new wishes.

Contact a DuPage County Estate Planning Lawyer

There are many different types of estate planning tools that can help you make advanced decisions about your medical care. To learn about all of your options, including a power of attorney for health care, contact an experienced Lombard estate planning attorney from A. Traub & Associates. Call our office at 630-426-0196 today and schedule a confidential consultation.

Sources:

https://www.investopedia.com/terms/h/hcpa.asp

https://www.webmd.com/palliative-care/advance-directives-medical-power-attorney