A Power of Attorney for Health Care Living Will is a very important legal document that allows you to designate a person (an agent) to make health care decisions on your behalf upon your incapacity as you specify within the document. It allows you to give instructions as to whether you would like to receive life sustaining treatment upon your incapacity. Your incapacity is determined by two (2) physicians stating in writing that you are unable to make health care decisions on your own.
A Power of Attorney for Health Care Living Will differs from a basic Living Will in that it allows a person to name an agent to make decisions on his or her behalf wherein a basic Living Will merely allows a person to state their wishes and desires regarding health care decisions.
Additionally, this document contains a Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) waiver. The HIPAA waiver states that the specific people you name can communicate with medical personnel about your condition.
