Minnesota Law authorized Health Care Directives in 1998. The directive is a document that comes into effect when a person is incapacitated and unable to make their own health care decisions and may also be referred to as Health Care Powers of Attorney, Living Wills, and Health Care Declarations. Health Care Directives ensure that a person’s health care is considered according to their wishes.

A Health Care Directive may be one of the most important documents your Minnesota estate planning lawyer will ever have to draft for you. In the directive, you appoint individuals that you trust to make your health care decisions for you. You can decide how much power you wish for them to have and what you don’t want them to do.

Making Difficult Decisions
When a serious medical situation arises, families are faced with tough decisions. For example, a doctor may ask family members whether to continue on the current path or to terminate life support. This is a heart-wrenching decision for family members.

A Health Care Directive lets the family members know that they made the right decision because you can specify in the document whether you want to be kept alive by artificial means. This will serve as guidance for your family members and help them make the right decision for you.

Health Care Directive Functions
Everyone needs to see a Minneapolis estate planning lawyer to execute Health Care Directives because one day you may be in a position where you may be incapacitated and unable to make end-of-life decisions on your own. With a valid Health Care Directive in place, you can:

Here are the benefits of Health Care Directives:

  • Appoint a Health Care Agent to make health care decisions for you when you are unable to
  • Designates a representative to receive your private health information and make decisions based upon that information
  • Can make organ donation decisions
  • Can make decisions regarding cremation or burial

Without an individual in place to make these decisions, a lot of questions come about regarding your wishes and your wishes may not be carried out the way that you want them to be. Having a Health Care Directive in place can ensure that you have the control you desire and that your wishes are understood.

Contact Eastlund Hutchinson at (952) 894-6400.