A durable power of attorney for healthcare is defined as a legal document that delegates medical decision-making to a specified individual in the event that the patient becomes unable to make decisions. Which option best reflects this definition?

• A. Delegates decision-making for financial matters.
• B. Delegates medical decisions to a specified individual for all time.
• C. Delegates medical decision-making to a specified individual if the patient becomes unable to make decisions.
• D. Is the same as a living will.

Answer: (C)

Durable power of attorney for healthcare is a document that lets you name someone you trust to make medical decisions on your behalf if you lose the ability to decide for yourself. The crucial point is that the authority activates only when you become unable to make decisions, not while you still can, and it can be tailored to cover specific types of medical decisions or be limited in scope. This differs from a durable power of attorney for finances, which delegates financial decisions rather than medical care. It also is not a blanket, perpetual grant of authority for all time, since you can revoke it or it becomes effective only upon incapacity. And it's not the same as a living will, which records your treatment preferences rather than naming a decision-maker. Therefore, the option that best reflects the definition is the one that specifies medical decision-making upon incapacity.