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Oregon Healthcare Power of Attorney

An Oregon Healthcare Power of Attorney is a legal document that gives a selected person or entity permission to make health-related decisions for you, such as refusing or accepting a certain medical treatment or procedure, if you cannot do so.

The individual granting permission is known as the "principal," while the individual or organization gaining authority is known as the "agent." Designed for residents of Oregon, this Power of Attorney for health care can be used in Multnomah County, Washington County, Clackamas County, and in every other region in the state. All Oregon Healthcare PoA forms from Rocket Lawyer can be completely customized for your unique scenario. This official document will provide confirmation to medical providers and other parties that your selected representative(s) can act in your interest when you are not able.

It's very easy to assign or receive the authority you might need with a free Oregon Healthcare Power of Attorney template from Rocket Lawyer:

1. Make the PoA - Provide a few details and we will do the rest
2. Send or share - Review it with your agent or seek legal advice
3. Sign it - Optional or not, notarization and witnesses are encouraged

This route will often be much less expensive than working with your average provider. If needed, you can start this Medical PoA on behalf of your spouse or another family member, and then have them sign it after you've drafted it. Keep in mind that for this document to be considered 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 might be required. In such a scenario, it's important for you to speak with a lawyer.

Anyone who is over 18 years old ought to have a Healthcare Power of Attorney. Though it is challenging to think about, there could come a day when you are no longer able to make important decisions on your own. Here are a few common circumstances where a PoA might be helpful:

• You are planning to undergo a medical procedure requiring anesthesia
• You are getting older or dealing with ongoing health issues
• You are currently managing a terminal illness
• You currently reside in or have plans to move into a community care facility

Whether this Oregon Healthcare Power of Attorney is being drafted as part of a long-term plan or produced as a result of an urgent issue, witnesses and notarization are strongly encouraged as a best practice for protecting your document if its authority is challenged by a third party.

In the process of researching the topics of elder care and/or estate planning, you or a loved one may hear "healthcare proxy" and "healthcare power of attorney" used together. In actuality, they're the same. That said, please keep in mind that it is certainly possible to give agency over matters that are not related to health care, in which case, "proxy" is not typically used.

Oregon Medical PoA forms are generally straightforward, but you could still have legal questions. Seeking out an attorney to give feedback on your Oregon Healthcare Power of Attorney could be fairly time-consuming. An easier alternative would be to request help from the Rocket Lawyer On Call^® network of attorneys. With a Premium membership, you can have your documents examined by an On Call attorney with relevant experience. You can rest assured that Rocket Lawyer is here to support you.

The fees associated with hiring a conventional law firm to produce a Medical Power of Attorney could total anywhere from $200 to $500. When you use Rocket Lawyer, you are not just filling out a Power of Attorney template. In case you ever need support from a lawyer, your Rocket Lawyer membership provides up to 40% in savings when you hire an On Call attorney.

Attached to your Power of Attorney, there's a series of instructions for what you should do next. Feel free to engage with your PoA in all of these ways: editing it, saving it as a PDF document or Word file, or signing it. Finally, your agent(s) and care providers should get copies of your final document.

The guidelines for PoA forms vary by state; however, in Oregon, your document will need to be acknowledged by a notary public or signed by two witnesses. The selected witnesses should not include your attending physician, and at least one should not be related to you (such as a spouse, adopted child, or family member) or any other heir/beneficiary. Finally, as a general principle, your witness(es) should not be under the age of 18, and no witness should simultaneously be your Power of Attorney agent.

See Oregon Healthcare Power of Attorney law: ORS 127.510