Appoint a healthcare agent in Maine: Maine Medical Power of Attorney
What is a Maine Medical Power of Attorney?
The person granting control is called the "principal," and the person or entity gaining authority is called the "agent." Designed for residents of Maine, our Power of Attorney for health care is made for use in Cumberland County, York County, Penobscot County, and in all other parts of the state. All Maine Medical PoA forms from Rocket Lawyer can be completely personalized for your particular scenario. This official document provides proof to healthcare providers and other parties that your chosen representative can make choices for you.
When to use a Maine Medical Power of Attorney:
- You'd like to legally select someone to make important medical choices for you if you become incapacitated.
- You're suffering from declining health, have a terminal illness diagnosis, or have scheduled a major surgery.
Sample Maine Medical Power of Attorney
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POWER OF ATTORNEY FOR HEALTH CARE
. DESIGNATION OF AGENT. I designate the following individual as my agent to make health-care decisions for me:
Agent:
| Name: |
| Address: |
| , |
| Phone: | Home: Work: |
. AGENT'S AUTHORITY. My agent is authorized to make all health-care decisions for me, including decisions to provide, withhold or withdraw artificial nutrition and hydration and all other forms of health care to keep me alive
. WHEN AGENT'S AUTHORITY BECOMES EFFECTIVE. My agent's authority becomes effective when my primary physician determines that I am unable to make my own health-care decisions
. AGENT'S OBLIGATION. My agent shall make health-care decisions for me in accordance with this Power of Attorney for Health Care, any instructions I give in Part 2 of this form and my other wishes to the extent known to my agent. To the extent my wishes are unknown, my agent shall make health-care decisions for me in accordance with what my agent determines to be in my best interest. In determining my best interest, my agent shall consider my personal values to the extent known to my agent.
. EFFECT OF COPY. A copy of this form has the same effect as the original.
| Declarant Signature: | _______________________________________ |
| Name: |
| Address: |
| , |
| Date: | _____________________ |
| Witness Signature: | ________________________________________ |
| Date: | _________________________ |
| Witness Signature: | ________________________________________ |
| Date: | _________________________ |
Maine Medical Power of Attorney FAQs
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How do I get Medical Power of Attorney in Maine?
It is very simple to grant or obtain the authority you need with a free Maine Medical Power of Attorney template from Rocket Lawyer:
- Make the PoA - Answer a few basic questions and we will do the rest
- Send or share it - Look over the document with your agent or get legal advice
- Sign it - Mandatory or not, witnesses and notarization are ideal
This method is, in most cases, much more affordable than working with a traditional lawyer. If needed, you can prepare this Medical PoA on behalf of your spouse, an elderly parent, or another family member, and then have them sign when ready. Keep in mind that for a Power of Attorney to be valid, the principal must be an adult who is mentally competent when they sign. In the event that the principal is already incapacitated and unable to make their own decisions, a conservatorship could be necessary. When managing this situation, it's a good idea for you to connect with an attorney .
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Why should I have a Power of Attorney for healthcare in Maine?
Every adult should have a Medical Power of Attorney. Even though it is unpleasant to think about, a day might come when you are not able to make important decisions on your own. Here are a few common situations in which you might find PoA forms to be useful:
- You plan to be hospitalized for a surgical procedure
- You are aging or have declining health
- You are currently managing a terminal illness
- You have plans to live in an adult care facility
Regardless of whether your Maine Medical Power of Attorney is being prepared as part of a long-term plan or created as a result of an unexpected emergency, witnesses and/or notarization will often help to protect your document if its legitimacy is challenged.
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Are a Maine Healthcare Proxy and a Maine Medical Power of Attorney the same thing?
At times, when discussing the topics of estate planning or elder care with legal or medical professionals, you may find that the terms "healthcare power of attorney", "medical power of attorney" and "healthcare proxy" are used together. In actuality, they are one and the same. That said, it is certainly possible to grant power of attorney over matters that are not related to medical care. In that case, "proxy" typically is not the term of choice.
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Do I need to hire a lawyer to review my Maine Medical PoA?
Maine Medical PoA forms are generally straightforward; however, you or your agent might still have legal questions. It can vary depending on whom you contact, but quite often some lawyers may not even agree to review a document that they did not author. An easier approach to consider is to get help via the Rocket Lawyer On Call® network. If you become a Premium member, you have the ability to request guidance from an Rocket Lawyer network attorney with relevant experience or send other questions about your Medical Power of Attorney. We are here to support you.
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What would I usually have to pay to get a Power of Attorney form for health care in Maine?
The cost of working with an attorney to create a Medical Power of Attorney could range anywhere between two hundred and five hundred dollars, depending on your location. Different from the other websites that you may stumble upon, Rocket Lawyer offers much more than a Power of Attorney template. If you ever need assistance from a lawyer, your Premium membership offers up to 40% in savings when you hire an Rocket Lawyer network attorney.
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Would I need to do anything else after making a Maine Medical Power of Attorney?
When you're finished creating your Healthcare PoA document using Rocket Lawyer, you'll be able to access it in your account wherever and whenever you choose. With a Rocket Lawyer membership, you will be able to edit it, print it out, and/or sign it. Attached alongside each Power of Attorney form, there's a checklist of helpful tips to follow while finalizing your document. You should ensure that your agent(s) and care providers get a copy of your fully executed document.
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Does a Medical Power of Attorney need to be notarized, witnessed, and/or recorded in Maine?
The specifications for PoA forms vary in each state; however, in Maine, your document must be signed by two witnesses. As a general rule, your witness(es) must be 18 years old or older, and none of them should also be designated as your Power of Attorney agent.
See Maine Medical/Healthcare Power of Attorney law: §5-803
