Designation of Healthcare Surrogate – What You Need to Know
In this article, you will learn how to designate a healthcare surrogate in Florida and how our experienced lawyers can help you.
At Jurado & Farshchian, P.L. our lawyers know that a person’s health is more important than anything else. Fortunately, Florida lawmakers know this as well. Thus, they have created laws explicitly designed to protect every resident’s fundamental right of self-determination when it comes to making decisions in regards to their health.
In essence, these new laws allow all Florida residents to designate a healthcare surrogate, which helps them ensure they do not lose the right to make decisions about their health in the event they become physically or mentally incapacitated.
Read on to learn all you need to know about designating a healthcare surrogate in Florida.
The Definition of Healthcare Surrogate
Simply put, a healthcare surrogate is a person you appoint to make health care decisions on your behalf if you are unable to make those decisions yourself. Ideally, the person you choose to be your healthcare surrogate should be someone you trust, such as your spouse, a relative, or a close friend. However, you can select any person you want as long as this person is a mentally competent adult.
Once you select a healthcare surrogate, you must express your wishes regarding health care to this person. For instance, you should tell the surrogate if you would like to receive life support in the event of a coma even if doctors believe you have minimal chances of recovering. Other examples of things you should discuss with your healthcare surrogate include whether you would like feeding tube support if you become physically incapable of ever moving again.
Naming a Healthcare Surrogate in Florida
If you are new to estate planning, then you should know that a Florida Designation of Healthcare Surrogate is one of many crucial documents every good Florida estate plan must-have. Just like any other estate-planning document, an experienced attorney should draft it.
The Estate Planning Attorneys at Jurado & Farshchian, P.L. can draft a Designation of Healthcare Surrogate document that allows you to simply fill out the form to guide your surrogate through the decision-making process.
You should not confuse a Designation of a Healthcare Surrogate with a Florida Living Will. These documents tend to go in conjunction in most estate plans. However, they are not the same thing. A Living Will disposes of your property after your death and names a personal representative to handle the administration of your estate. They make decisions regarding medical treatment on your behalf while you are still alive in case you become incapacitated.
Along with these two documents, your Jurado & Farshchian attorney will also include a HIPAA release form. This form will allow your surrogate to access your medical records and healthcare providers to make decisions that are more informed regarding your health. It merely is imperative that every estate plan has this document because the current law will even prevent your spouse and family members from speaking with your doctors or healthcare providers.
Work with Jurado & Farshchian, P.L.
If you need help putting together an estate plan, contact Jurado & Farshchian, P.L. today. Our attorneys can provide the guidance you need to make the right decisions without making costly mistakes. No matter what estate-planning document you need, we can draft it.
Contact us today via WhatsApp https://wa.me/13059210440, give us a call at (305) 921-0440 or sends us an email to Romy@JFLawFirm.com.
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Romy Jurado
Business & Immigration Lawyer to Entrepreneurs, Start-ups, Small Business and Foreign Investors. Romy Jurado grew up with the entrepreneurial dream of becoming an attorney and starting her own business. And today, she is living proof that dreams really do come true. As a founder of Jurado & Associates, P.A., a reputable business, real estate, and immigration law firm, Romy’s practice is centered primarily around domestic and international business transactions – with a strong emphasis on corporate formation, stock and asset sales, contract drafting, and business immigration. In 2011, Romy earned her Juris Doctor degree from the Florida International University College of Law. She is fluent in two languages (English and Spanish) and is the proud author of Starting a Business in the US as a Foreigner, an online entrepreneurial guide. Contact me for a Consultation (305) 921-0976 or WhatsApp +13053968094 Romy@JuradoLawFirm.com.
