A Health Care Power of Attorney allows you to decide who you want to make medical decision on your behalf if you became incapacitated. Acting in accordance with your will, your partner (or other agent) would not be able to make the ultimate decision to shut off life support. However, most states now give you the power to specify through a Living Will, also known as a medical or doctor's directive, under what circumstances you would want to discontinue treatment and shut off the machines keeping you alive artificially.

You may also name an alternate agent to act for you if your first choice is not willing, able, or reasonably available to make decisions for you. Your agent may not be an operator or employee of a community care facility or a residential care facility where you are receiving care, or your supervising health care provider or employee of the health care institution where you are receiving care, unless your agent is related to you or is a co-worker.

You should consider completing a new Living Will declaration if your medical condition changes, or if you later decide to complete a Health Care Power of Attorney. If you have both documents, you should keep copies of both documents together, with your other important papers, and bring copies of both your Living Will and your Health Care Power of Attorney with you whenever you are a patient in a health care facility.

 
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