An Agent’s Role for Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care

It's impossible to know which medical treatment choices you might face in the future. What if you aren't able to make these decisions for yourself? A durable power of attorney for health care lets you name an agent to speak and carry out your wishes on your behalf. This happens only if you can't express your wishes yourself. An agent may also be known as a health care proxy, representative, or surrogate. You could also designate a second person to make these health care decisions for you if your primary agent is not available at a critical time in your care. Be sure to go over with these agents your wishes in any upcoming decisions your health conditions might predict.

Your agent respects your wishes in the following ways:

• Your agent's duty is to see that your wishes are followed.
• If your wishes aren't known, your agent should try to decide what you want.
• Your agent's choices come before anyone else's wishes for you.
• A durable power of attorney for health care does not give your agent control over your money. Your agent also can't be made to pay your bills.

Restrictions on what an agent can and can't do vary by state. Check your state laws. In most states your agent can:

• Choose or refuse life-sustaining and other medical treatment on your behalf.
• Consent to treatment, and then stop treatment if your condition doesn't improve.
• Access and release your medical records.
• Request an autopsy and donate your organs, unless you've stated otherwise in your advance directive.

Find out whether your state allows your agent to do the following:

• Refuse or withdraw life-enhancing care
• Refuse or stop tube feeding or other life-sustaining care—even if you haven't stated on your advance directive that you don't want these treatments
• Order sterilization or abortion