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Rhode Island Healthcare Power of Attorney

A Rhode Island Healthcare Power of Attorney is a legal document that grants a person or organization the authority to make health-related decisions for you, such as accepting or refusing a certain medical treatment, when you cannot do so.

The person giving control is known as the "principal," and the individuals or organizations gaining authority are known as the "agents." Designed for Rhode Island residents, this Power of Attorney for health care is made for use in Providence County, Kent County, Washington County, and in every other part of the state. All Rhode Island Medical PoA forms from Rocket Lawyer can be tailored for your unique scenario. As a result of this legal document, your agent(s) can offer confirmation to healthcare facilities and other parties that they can legally act in your interest when you are not able.

It's fast and simple to grant or obtain the authority you might need using a free Rhode Island Healthcare Power of Attorney template from Rocket Lawyer:

1. Make the document - Answer a few questions and we will do the rest
2. Send and share - Discuss it with your agent or get legal advice
3. Sign and make it legal - Optional or not, notarization/witnesses are encouraged

This solution will often end up being much less time-consuming than hiring and working with a traditional lawyer. If necessary, you may prepare a Medical PoA on behalf of your spouse or another family member, and then help that person sign it when ready. Keep in mind that for a PoA form to be considered valid, the principal must be mentally competent at the time of signing. In the event that the principal is already unable to make their own decisions, a conservatorship generally will be required. In this scenario, it is important to speak to a lawyer.

If you are over 18 years old, you should have a Healthcare Power of Attorney. Although it can be unpleasant to acknowledge, a day will likely come when you can no longer make your own medical decisions. Here are some typical situations in which you may find PoA forms to be useful:

• You are facing the possibility of a medical procedure or a hospitalization
• You are aging or have declining health
• You have been given a terminal diagnosis
• You have plans to live in a care facility

Regardless of whether your Rhode Island Healthcare Power of Attorney has been drafted as part of a forward-looking plan or created in response to an emergency, witnesses and/or notarization can often help to protect your document if its authenticity is doubted by a third party.

In discussing the topics of elder care and/or estate planning with healthcare or legal professionals, you might find that the terms "healthcare power of attorney" and "healthcare proxy" are used together. At the end of the day, they're one and the same. That being said, please keep in mind that it is entirely possible to give power of attorney over affairs that are not health-related. In that case, "proxy" usually is not the preferred term.

Rhode Island Medical PoA forms are typically straightforward; however, you could still need legal advice. It can vary depending on whom you contact, but sometimes an attorney won't even agree to review a document if they did not draft it. A more favorable approach would be via attorney services at Rocket Lawyer. As a Premium member, you have the ability to ask for a document review from an attorney with relevant experience or ask other questions related to your Healthcare Power of Attorney. We're always here to support you.

The cost of hiring and working with the average attorney to generate a Medical Power of Attorney could range anywhere from two hundred to five hundred dollars, based on your location. Unlike the other sites you might stumble upon, Rocket Lawyer offers much more than a Power of Attorney template. If you ever require support from a lawyer, your Premium membership provides up to a 40% discount when you hire an attorney from our network.

With a membership, you can edit it, download it as a PDF document or Word file, and/or print it. To make your Power of Attorney legally binding, you need to sign it. Your agent(s) and care providers should receive copies of your fully executed document.

The requirements and restrictions are different by state; however, in Rhode Island, your Power of Attorney will generally need notarization or the signatures of two witnesses. Your document must be notarized if your agent will have the power to direct your burial or cremation. Witnesses shouldn't include your healthcare provider or their employee, nor should they be the owners, operators, or employees of your community care facility. Only one of the witnesses may be legally related to you (such as a spouse, adopted child, or family member) or any other heir/beneficiary. As a general rule, witnesses should be 18 years old or older, and no witness should simultaneously be designated as your agent.

See Rhode Island Healthcare Power of Attorney law: Chapter 23-4.10