Appointing a Health Care Agent in New York State
The New York Health Care Proxy Law allows you to appoint someone you trust, for example a family member or close friend, to make health care decisions on your behalf if you lose the ability to make decisions yourself. Appointing a health care agent ensures that providers follow your wishes, and your agent can decide how those wishes apply as your medical condition changes.
Hospitals, doctors and other health care providers must follow your agent’s decisions as if they were your own. You may give your agent as little or as much authority as you feel is appropriate. The Health Care Proxy form can also be used to document your wishes or instructions about organ and tissue donation.
How a Health Care Proxy Works
Putting Your Wishes in Writing
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You choose someone you trust
Name a family member, close friend or another person to act as your health care agent.
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Your wishes are followed
Providers must honor your agent’s decisions as if they were your own once you can no longer decide for yourself.
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You set the scope
Give your agent broad authority over all health care decisions, or limit it to only certain decisions.
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Donation wishes included
The same form can document your instructions about organ and tissue donation.
Choose your health care agent today
Take a few minutes to name someone you trust to speak for you. Use the New York State Health Care Proxy form to put your wishes in writing.