Health Care Proxy

An adult has the right to accept or refuse medical treatment. Health Care Proxies and Living Wills are documents that protect your medical wishes in the event that you lack the ability to make these important health-care decisions. These two documents are often executed along with your Last Will and Testament as part of your basic estate planning documents.

A health care proxy is a document delegating the authority to make health-related decisions. You can appoint a health care agent who is 18 years old or older to make important decisions relating to medical treatment in the event that you are unable to make these decisions. Please note that an employee of the hospital may not be appointed as your agent. Your attending physician also cannot be named as your agent. You can only appoint one agent to act at any given time so appointing co-agents is not permissible in New York.

It is important to note that the agent you assign has great power to make health care decisions. In fact, the agent may make all health care decisions that you could make if you were able to do so.

There are specific execution requirements when it comes to signing a Health Care Proxy. Please call Danziger Legal PLLC today to discuss your drafting, revoking, or changing your Health Care Proxy.