Health Care Proxies Explained

Once an individual has selected an individual to be his/her health care representative, the necessary legal documents must be obtained and completed. Thankfully, the necessary forms for appointing health care proxies can be found online, free of charge. Notaries and attorneys are not necessary when completing these forms, but in most states the document must be signed in the presence of two individuals over the age of eighteen.

The laws regarding health care proxies and witnesses vary by state, so it is essential to review the laws specific to one's own state. An individual may wish to detail the medical treatment and procedures that he/she wishes to accept and refuse on the document, in order to ensure that his/her wishes are followed. An individual may also wish to create a living will for this purpose.

If an individual wishes to revoke the authority that has been granted to a proxy, he/she may do this at any time. Due to the relative ease of appointing a health care proxy and the protection that it may offer ill and deteriorating individuals, it may be advantageous for an individual to give weight to this legal document.

NEXT: Living Wills Explained