In a world where nothing seems to be certain anymore, back-up plans become the way to go. After going through 2020, everyone in the world has a greater appreciation for good health. Moreover, each person is now more attentive to the health needs of the people they love. Your life and that of your family members is important. One way to safeguard these needs is through a healthcare power of attorney plan.
What Power of Attorney is All About
Perhaps you’ve been considering this arrangement but haven’t quite got it properly. No need to worry, we’ve got you! Here are some insights to consider:
A medical power of attorney authorizes healthcare decisions to be made on your behalf by a designated individual, while a financial power of attorney allows for an authorized individual to oversee your finances if needed.
In general, a power of attorney is a document authorizing an individual to make decisions on behalf of another person. The person who gives the authority is called the principal, and the person who has the authority to act for the principal is called the agent, or the attorney-in-fact. You can designate both a financial power of attorney and a medical power of attorney in the event that you’re unable to make those choices yourself. Read more at Investopedia
In short, power of attorney is about entrusting serious decisions about your life to another person. This ensures that when you are unable to make these decisions for whichever reason, you won’t be in a crisis.
Different Words, Same Function
In the world of law, there can be several confusing terminologies. In the subject of healthcare power of attorney, here are some of the different terms you may come across:
Depending on the state where you live, you may see a number of different names for the medical power of attorney—because lawyers love their fancy words. No matter the name, they all refer to the same document. A few of the other names for medical power of attorney are:
Health power of attorney
Advance directive
Advance health care directive
Durable power of attorney for health care
Medical power of attorney directive
And there may be other ways you can scramble those words to say the same thing! The point here is that filing a medical power of attorney is how you ensure that someone you trust can speak on your behalf if become medically incapacitated. Read more at Dave Ramsey
You may want to consult with your local law firm to determine which term is common in your area. Perhaps explaining the function of the document will be of more help to you as you make the inquiry.
Possible Changes
Is it possible for this arrangement to expire? Can you lose the help of the agent for any reason? Is it a water-tight agreement? Is it reliable? All these questions depend on the terms written in your document. Here’s some insight on the issue:
A medical power of attorney is by no means an irrevocable document. Should you become reasonably healthy or you revoke the agent’s privileges then the document is terminated and considered invalid. If there was a time constraint outlined on the power of attorney then the agent’s privileges will naturally expire on that date.
As always, feel free to ask a medical provider for assistance as it is their job to protect the interest of their patients and allow a person some degree of control over medical care. Creating a medical power of attorney will ensure that no matter what the future may hold, decisions regarding any medical treatment and care are in line with the desires and expectations of the patient. Read more at Law For Seniors
Healthcare power of attorney can prevent the people you love from enduring prolonged seasons of distress. Your agent can help to make wise decisions on how to take care of you when you’re not in good health.
If you haven’t yet got your healthcare POA, it’s time to go for it. At Meek Law Firm, we will ensure you get exactly what you need. This will safeguard both yourself and your family during turbulent times. Call us today to get the ball rolling.