An Agent’s Role for Health Care Power of Attorney

It’s impossible to know which medical treatment choices you might face in the future. What if you aren't able to make these decisions for yourself? A health care power of attorney lets you name an agent to carry out your choices. This happens only if you can’t express your choices yourself.

An agent’s duty

Your agent respects your choices in the following ways: 

• Your agent’s duty is to see that your choices are followed.

• If your choices aren’t known, your agent should try to decide what you want based on your values.

• Your agent’s choices come before anyone else’s choices for you.

• A health care power of attorney does not give your agent control over your money. Your agent also can’t be made to pay your bills.

Find out what your agent can do

Restrictions on what an agent can and can’t do vary by state. Check your state laws. In North Carolina your agent can:

• Choose or refuse life-sustaining and other medical treatment on your behalf.

• Consent to and then stop treatment if your condition doesn’t improve.

• Access and release your medical records.

• Request an autopsy and donate your organs, unless you’ve stated otherwise on your advance directive.

• Refuse or withdraw life-enhancing care.

• Refuse or stop tube feeding or other life-sustaining care—even if you haven’t stated on your advance directive that you don’t want these treatments.