As with a General Power of Attorney, the Health Care Power of Attorney authorizes your Agent to make decisions in your behalf when you can’t speak for yourself, but only regarding health care. This document usually grants the agent power to choose medical professionals and courses of treatment for you, as well as to admit you to licensed health care facilities such as a hospital or convalescent center.
Additionally, there are often clauses about organ donation, experimental medical procedures, and a HIPAA waiver, which will allow your Agent to have access to your medical (and possibly psychiatric) records as they serve you during a time when you can’t speak for yourself.
The Health Care Power of Attorney combines with the General Power of Attorney to assure that all your management of lifetime affairs is done as you would want when you can’t handle things for yourself.