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Massachusetts Healthcare Power of Attorney

A Massachusetts Healthcare Power of Attorney is a legal document that gives a selected individual or organization the authority to make healthcare decisions on your behalf, such as requesting or refusing medical treatment, if you cannot do so.

The person granting control is called the "principal," while the individuals or entities gaining authority are called the "agents." Suitable for Massachusetts residents, this Power of Attorney for health care is made for use in Middlesex County, Worcester County, Suffolk County, and in all other parts of the state. All Massachusetts Medical PoA forms from Rocket Lawyer can be modified to address your unique scenario. This essential legal document will provide confirmation to medical providers and other parties that your chosen agent(s) can make choices for you.

It's quick and easy to give or get the support you may need with a free Massachusetts Healthcare Power of Attorney template from Rocket Lawyer:

1. Make the PoA - Provide a few basic details and we will do the rest
2. Send or share it - Look over the document with your agent or ask a legal question
3. Sign it - Optional or not, notarization and witnesses are recommended

This route will often be much more affordable and convenient than finding and hiring a traditional lawyer. If needed, you may fill out a Medical PoA on behalf of your spouse or another relative, and then help them sign after you've drafted it. Please note that for a PoA form to be accepted as legally valid, the principal must be an adult who is mentally competent at the time of signing. In the event that the principal has already been declared incompetent, a court-appointed conservatorship could be required. In this scenario, it would be best for you to work with an attorney.

If you are over 18 years old, you should have a Healthcare Power of Attorney. While it may be painful to think about, a time could come when you can no longer make your own healthcare decisions. Typical situations where you may consider power of attorney to be useful include:

• You are facing the possibility of surgery or a hospitalization
• You are aging or have declining health
• You've been given a terminal diagnosis
• You intend to move into an adult care facility

Whether this Massachusetts Healthcare Power of Attorney has been generated as part of a long-term plan or made in response to an unexpected emergency, witnesses and notarization can often help to protect your document if a third party doubts its credibility.

Sometimes, in researching the topics of estate planning and elder care, you might see the terms "healthcare power of attorney" and "healthcare proxy" used together or interchangeably. At the end of the day, they are the same. That said, please keep in mind that it's absolutely possible to grant agency over matters that are not related to medical care, in which case, "proxy" is not generally used.

Massachusetts Medical PoA forms are typically simple to make; however, you or your agent(s) might have legal questions. Finding a lawyer to give feedback on your Massachusetts Healthcare Power of Attorney could be relatively time-intensive. An easier option is to go through attorney services at Rocket Lawyer. With a Premium membership, you can get your document reviewed or send any legal questions. As always, Rocket Lawyer is here to help.

The fees associated with finding and working with the average law firm to produce a Medical Power of Attorney could total between two hundred and five hundred dollars, depending on your location. Unlike other Power of Attorney template providers that you may find, Rocket Lawyer gives Premium members up to 40% in savings when hiring a lawyer, so an On Call attorney can represent you if you ever need support.

With a Rocket Lawyer membership, you can make edits, save it as a Word or PDF file, or print it out. When you are ready to complete your Power of Attorney, it needs to be signed. You will need to provide a final copy of the fully signed document to your agent(s) and care providers.

The specifications and restrictions vary in each state; however, in Massachusetts, your Power of Attorney must be signed by two witnesses. Finally, as a basic principle, your witness(es) will need to not be under 18 years old, and no witness should also be named as your Power of Attorney agent.

See Massachusetts Healthcare Power of Attorney law: § 201D-2