Free Washington Medical Power of Attorney Forms

Washington Medical Power of Attorney Laws

• Agent Authority - Who can be an agent in a medical or healthcare POA? According to Washington State legislature, “Unless he or she is the spouse, state registered domestic partner, father or mother, or adult child or brother or sister of the principal, none of the following persons may act as the agent for the principal: Any of the principal's physicians, the physicians' employees, or the owners, administrators, or employees of the health care facility or long-term care facility…” (WA Rev Code § 11.125.400).
• Signing Requirements - After the principal signs and affixes the date, the medical POA must be acknowledged by a notary public or another individual who has been legally authorized to acknowledge such documents. Alternatively, it can also be attested by two or more witnesses who are not in charge of the principal’s care (WA Rev Code § 11.125.050).

Signing Requirements in Washington

The principal must sign the document and write the date when it was signed. To make it legal, it has to be acknowledged by a notary public or at least two competent witnesses.

However, none of the witnesses should be “home care providers for the principal nor care providers at an adult family home or long-term care facility in which the principal resides, and who are unrelated to the principal or agent by blood, marriage, or state-registered domestic partnership” (WA Rev Code § 11.125.050).

How To Write a Medical POA in Washington

The medical POA acts as an agent’s written permission to make healthcare-related decisions on behalf of the principal. Here are the simple steps to creating one.

1. Choose an agent you trust

Selecting an agent for a POA is even more critical with a POA because it is almost always durable. The document’s authority will continue even when the principal becomes mentally incapacitated. The authority in most POAs expires when the principal is declared mentally incompetent. Since this is not the case with a medical POA, choosing the right agent is extremely important.

You can choose someone related to you by blood or a professional you work with like a lawyer.

2. Discuss your wishes with your agent

After choosing an agent, set a meeting where you can discuss their responsibilities and your preferences regarding medical care. Even if the agent becomes your healthcare proxy, they are still bound by your wishes and the instructions listed in the POA.

Another topic worth discussing is compensation. Agents have the right to be compensated for the time spent attending to your medical concerns. They can also ask for refunds for common expenses like gas, meals, and transportation.

3. Download Printable Medical POA in Washington

Download a Washington medical POA template online. This will save you the trouble of drawing up a document from scratch. Make sure you are using a form that is recognized in Washington as different states have different POA requirements.

4. Sign and date the document

Double-check the document and make sure all the details are included in the medical POA, including the medical procedures you wish to undertake and end-of-life care arrangements. When you are satisfied, sign it and write the date.

To make it legal, the document must be acknowledged by a notary public. If one is not available, at least two competent individuals must attest to its validity.

5. Use the Washington Medical POA

Now that the document has been signed, dated, and validated, the agent can use it to make medical decisions on your behalf. The agent must have an original copy of the document because legal entities will ask for it every time the healthcare proxy makes decisions for the principal.