Main Office
781-782-6000

South Shore
508-879-2152

Metro West
781-729-0313

Boston
617-737-6010

Merrimack Valley
978-692-3565

Main Office
1026 Main Street
Winchester, MA 01890

South Shore
99 Derby Street, Suite 200
Hingham, MA 02045

Metro West
70 Walnut Street
Wellesley Hills, MA 02481

Boston
101 Federal Street, Suite 1900
Boston, MA 02110

Merrimack Valley
19 Fletcher Street
Chelmsford, MA 01824

Estate Planning Vault

What is a Health Care Proxy and Why do I Need One?

If you become incapacitated who will make your medical decisions? A health care proxy allows you to appoint someone else to act as your agent for medical decisions. It will ensure that your medical treatment instructions are carried out, and it is especially important to have a health care proxy if you and your family may disagree about treatment. Without a health care proxy, your doctor may be required to provide you with medical treatment that you would have refused if you were able to do so.

In general, a health care proxy takes effect only when you require medical treatment and a physician determines that you are unable to communicate your wishes concerning treatment. How this works exactly can depend on the laws of the particular state and the terms of the health care proxy itself. If you later become able to express your own wishes, you will be listened to and the health care proxy will have no effect.