A Health Care Proxy authorizes a person you trust to make medical decisions on your behalf when you are unable to do so yourself.
Without a Health Care Proxy, decisions about your treatment may be made by people you would not have chosen — and in extreme cases, by a court. The document protects your wishes in matters such as:
- choice of doctor and hospital,
- consent to procedures and surgery,
- end-of-life decisions (together with a Living Will),
- palliative and hospice care.
Important: your health care agent may — but does not have to — be the same person as your financial agent under a Power of Attorney. It is worth discussing with an attorney so both roles are assigned according to your wishes.