Full question:
A person has completed a power of attorney for health care and a living will, but does not know if there are filing requirements or who should receive a copy of the documents. Are there filing requirements for advanced health care directive documents?
- Category: Power of Attorney
- Subcategory: Health Care Declaration
- Date:
- State: Alabama
Answer:
There are no formal filing requirements for advanced health care directive documents. However, it’s important to follow these guidelines:
- Give the original durable power of attorney for health care to the person you designated as your patient advocate or decision maker.
- Your doctor should have a copy of this document, and you should keep a copy for yourself.
- For a living will, keep the original for yourself and provide copies to close family members.
- Your doctor should also have a copy of your living will.
- Ask your doctor to include these documents in your medical record.
- If you enter a hospital or nursing home, ensure that the facility has copies of your documents.
This content is for informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Legal statutes mentioned reflect the law at the time the content was written and may no longer be current. Always verify the latest version of the law before relying on it.