what is power of attorney for medical decisions illinois

by Guillermo Schaden 9 min read

Power of Attorney for Health Care document allows a person, called the principal, to delegate to another person, called the agent (this could be a trusted friend, a family member, foster parent, or substitute care provider), the power to make decisions regarding health care the principal is unable to make. The agent, who does not need to be an attorney, will speak for the principal and make decisions according to the principal’s wishes even when the principal is physically or mentally incapacitated.

THE POWER OF ATTORNEY FOR HEALTH CARE
In Illinois, you can choose someone to be your “health care agent.” Your agent is the person you trust to make health care decisions for you if you are unable or do not want to make them yourself. These decisions should be based on your personal values and wishes.

Full Answer

How do you obtain a medical power of attorney?

Power of Attorney for Health Care . NOTICE TO THE INDIVIDUAL SIGNING . THE POWER OF ATTORNEY FOR HEALTH CARE . No one can predict when a serious illness or accident might occur. When it does, you may need someone else to speak or make health care decisions for you.

How to establish a medical power of attorney?

Illinois Statutory Short Form Power of Attorney for Health Care (Notice: The purpose of this Power of Attorney for Health Care is to give the person you designate (your “agent”) broad powers to make health care decisions for you, including power to require, consent to or

How do I set up a medical power of attorney?

Aug 02, 2021 · Power of Attorney can give you peace of mind by ensuring that your financial and healthcare matters are taken care of in the event you can't be present to sign documents, or if you become incapacitated. Let's look at the state of Illinois requirements for granting Power of …

How to write a medical power of attorney?

The health care power of attorney lets you choose someone to make health care decisions for you in the future, if you are no longer able to make these decisions for yourself. You are called the "principal" in the power of attorney form and the person you choose to make decisions is called your "agent."

What is a medical power of attorney in Illinois?

A power of attorney (POA) for health care is a form that lets you choose a person to make health care decisions for you. The person you choose will then be able to make health care decisions for…Jul 28, 2021

How do I get a medical power of attorney in Illinois?

How to Fill in a Medical Power of Attorney in IllinoisStep 1: Chose an agent. The agent that you choose will have the power to make medical decisions on your behalf. ... Step 2: Specify what healthcare decisions your agent can make. ... Step 3: Sign the form.

Can a spouse make medical decisions without a power of attorney Illinois?

The Health Care Surrogate Act allows family members or friends to make medical decisions in an emergency or serious health situation when a person with special needs cannot make medical decisions for himself and if no relevant power of attorney or similar is in effect.

Who makes medical decisions if you are incapacitated Illinois?

surrogate decision maker(1) Decisions whether to forgo life-sustaining treatment on behalf of a minor or an adult patient who lacks decisional capacity may be made by a surrogate decision maker or makers in consultation with the attending physician, in the order or priority provided in Section 25 [755 ILCS 40/25].

Does medical power of attorney need to be notarized in Illinois?

An Illinois Power of Attorney for Health Care has been created by the Illinois legislature. This form must be signed by the principal and one witness. It does not need to be notarized.

Does a power of attorney have to be notarized in Illinois?

Witnessing and Notarization Requirement To make a POA in Illinois, you must sign the POA in the presence a notary public and at least one witness. The notary public cannot act as the witness.

Can a wife make medical decisions for her husband?

Though many healthcare facilities and providers may create a hierarchy within the class of family members and place the spouse at the top, there is no exclusive legal right for a spouse to make healthcare decisions for his or her incapacitated spouse.

Who makes decisions if no power of attorney?

If you have not given someone authority to make decisions under a power of attorney, then decisions about your health, care and living arrangements will be made by your care professional, the doctor or social worker who is in charge of your treatment or care.Mar 30, 2020

Can my ex wife make medical decisions for me?

Yes. If you and your spouse are informally or legally separated, the spouse may still be able to make medical decisions on your behalf prior to your divorce. There is no case law on this issue. If you file a health care directive, the hospital must comply with your wishes.

What is defined by Illinois law as a patient being incapacitated?

Section 11a-2 defines a person with disability (or "a disabled person") as a person 18 years or older who: 1) because of mental deterioration or physical incapacity is not fully able to manage his or her person or estate, or 2) is a person with mental illness or developmental disability and who because of mental ...

What is a medical surrogate?

A health care surrogate is an adult who is appointed to make healthcare decisions for you when you become unable to make them for yourself.

Who can be a surrogate decision maker for a patient?

Adults. In most states, the default surrogate decision maker for adults is normally the next of kin, specified in a priority order by state statute, typically starting with the person's spouse or domestic partner, then an adult child, a parent, a sibling, and then possibly other relatives.

What is a power of attorney for health care?

(Notice: The purpose of this Power of Attorney for Health Care is to give the person you designate (your “agent”) broad powers to make health care decisions for you, including power to require, consent to or withdraw any type of personal care or medical treatment for any physical or mental condition and to admit you to or discharge you from any hospital, home or other institution. This form does not impose a duty on your agent to exercise granted powers; but when powers are exercised, your agent will have to use due care to act for your benefit and in accordance with this form and keep a record of receipts, disbursements and significant actions taken as agent. A court can take away the powers of your agent if it finds the agent is not acting properly. You may name successor agents under this form but not co-agents, and no healthcare provider may be named. Unless you expressly limit the duration of this power in the manner provided below, until you revoke this power or a court acting on your behalf terminates it, your agent may exercise the powers given here throughout your lifetime, even after you become disabled. The powers you give your agent, your right to revoke those powers and the penalties for violating the law are explained more fully in Section 4-5, 4-6, 4-9 and 4-10(b) of the Illinois “Powers of Attorney for Health Care Law” of which this form is a part (see pages 3-6 of this form). That law expressly permits the use of any different form of power of attorney you may desire. (If there is anything about this form that you do not understand, you should ask a lawyer to explain it to you.)

Can a doctor make you execute a power of attorney?

No facility, doctor, or insurer can make you execute a health care power of attorney. Likewise, no person or representative of the Department of Children and Family Services will attempt to coerce you, or influence your decision on whether or not to execute a health care power of attorney. It is entirely your decision. If a facility, doctor, or insurer objects to following your health care power of attorney, he/she must tell you and offer you assistance in finding alternative care.

How old do you have to be to get a power of attorney in Illinois?

The basic requirements for a power of attorney in Illinois for financial matters are that it must: For both financial and healthcare POAs, agents and witnesses must be at least 18 years of age. There are limitations as to who may be a witness.

What is a POA in Illinois?

Let's look at the state of Illinois requirements for granting Power of Attorney. A legal document called a power of attorney ( or POA) can assure that your financial and healthcare matters are taken care of in the event you can't be present to sign documents, or if you become incapacitated.

What is a POA in financial terms?

A financial POA giving the agent broad powers to represent the principal in just about any matter is called a "general" POA. A "limited" or "special" POA is one that limits the agent's authority in some way, such as limiting it to a single transaction, a certain type of transaction, or to a limited amount of time.

When does a POA end?

Traditionally, a POA ended if the principal became mentally incapacitated, and became effective as soon as it was signed. Under Illinois law, you can have a POA that continues in effect after incapacity (called a "durable" POA) or one that does not go into effect unless the principal becomes incapacitated (called a "springing" POA).

Can an agent cross out other provisions?

Your agent will have the power to engage in all of these types of transactions unless you cross out (actually draw a line through) the ones you do not want your agent to have. You can also cross out other provisions, as indicated by the instructions.

Do you need to notarize a financial form in Illinois?

It does not need to be notarized. Like the financial form, this form includes detailed instructions, including an explanation of the types of persons who may not serve as a witness. This form may be found in the Illinois Compiled Statutes, Chapter 755, Article 45, Section 4-10.

What is a power of attorney?

A power of attorney for health care gives you control over how decisions are made for you. The agent you choose will carry out your wishes. A program to help you complete the forms to give another person access to or control of your health care decisions.

What happens if you don't have a power of attorney?

If you do not have a power of attorney for health care, your family and your doctors will make health care decisions for you. The doctor must ask your family and friends about what to do, in the following order: You might disagree with the decision your family makes. Or, your family members may not be able to agree on how to handle your medical ...

What is a POA?

A power of attorney (POA) for health care is a form that lets you choose a person to make health care decisions for you. The person you choose will then be able to make health care decisions for…. More on Setting up a power of attorney for healthcare.

What is a medical power of attorney?

A power of attorney is a legal document that appoints someone as your representative and gives that person the power to act on your behalf. Different types of powers of attorney address different situations. With a medical power of attorney, you appoint someone—often referred to as your attorney-in-fact ...

Why is a power of attorney important?

While much of estate planning focuses on finances, a comprehensive estate plan should also help you prepare for any potential medical or healthcare decisions you may need to make in the future. That's why a medical power of attorney, also known as a durable power of attorney for healthcare, is essential.

What happens if you don't have a power of attorney?

If You Do Not Have a Medical Power of Attorney 1 Living will. If you have a living will, it will only be enacted if you are in a permanent state of incapacity. This is because a living will addresses with end-of-life situations, and a key requirement is that you are permanently incapacitated. But if you are temporarily incapacitated—for example, if you fall into a temporary coma after an accident but your doctors expect you to eventually come out of the coma—your living will won't be able to help with the healthcare decisions that may need to be made during this time. 2 Your loved ones know what you want. It's easy to see the potential for conflict that could arise in this scenario. Your loved ones may not correctly remember your instructions, may interpret your directions to them differently or may decide on religious or moral grounds that a different decision would be better for you. Having a medical power of attorney avoids these situations. Additionally, your state's laws may give one of your loved ones priority in terms of medical decision-making power over another loved one who may be more likely to make medical decisions following your wishes.

Can a power of attorney make healthcare decisions?

With a medical power of attorney, you can appoint someone to make healthcare decisions for you if you become incapable of making those decisions yourself. While much of estate planning focuses on finances, a comprehensive estate plan should also help you prepare for any potential medical or healthcare decisions you may need to make in the future.

Can an attorney be an attorney in fact?

It's important to carefully consider whom you want to appoint to be your representative or attorney-in-fact under your medical power of attorney. Note that, despite using the word "attorney" in the term "attorney-in-fact," this person is not required to be an attorney.

Is a medical power of attorney durable?

Unlike a regular power of attorney, which is nondurable, a medical power of attorney is always a durable power of attorney. A nondurable power of attorney expires and is no longer valid if you become incapacitated.

When does a power of attorney go into effect?

The power of attorney goes into effect after a licensed physician has deemed the principal incapable of making decisions for themselves. It’s recommended for a person that makes a medical power of attorney to also create a living will to write their treatment preferences for an agent to follow.

How to make a health care decision?

Step 1 – Select Your Agent. The Agent that you select will have the responsibility of making your decisions based on your health care situation. Therefore you will want someone that you trust and is aware of your basic medical history (such as heart conditions, medication, allergies, etc.)

What is a successor agent?

Successor (2nd) Agent – Individual selected only if the primary agent is not able to fulfill their duties. Co-agent authority is not usually allowed, must be the decision of 1 person. Compensation – You have the option to set up compensation for the agent selected for lodging, food, and travel costs.

What is step 2 in health care?

Step 2 – Agent’s Decisions. The decisions you give your agent related to your health care is up to you. You can allow your agent to make any type of decision that presents itself or you could limit your agent to only certain types of decision making.

What is a living will?

A living will is a highly recommended option to be attached to any medical power of attorney. In addition to having someone speak on their behalf, a living will outlines a person’s end of life treatment selections.

Can a notary be a witness?

NO WITNESS can be a person that is related to the principal, agent, or be a beneficiary in the principal’s last will and testament. If a notary is required, the notary may not act as a witness.