An Illinois medical power of attorney form is a legal document used to name an individual (the agent) who will make medical decisions for you if you can’t communicate them yourself. The agent you designate will be able to make decisions regarding your health, care, and medical treatment if you become incapacitated. In Illinois, a medical power of attorney is usually called a power of attorney for health care.
Laws
- Statute: Illinois Power of Attorney Act, 755 ILCS 45, Article IV
- Signing Requirements: You must sign the medical power of attorney form to make it effective under Illinois law. There is no notary requirement. Illinois law requires that you have a witness sign the document stating that they saw you sign it and that they believe the signature is yours (755 ILCS 45/4-5.1).
- Revocation: Your medical power of attorney will remain in place until you revoke it or all your directives have been carried out after your death. You can revoke it anytime, regardless of your physical or mental condition. While Illinois laws are flexible, we recommend using a written revocation to communicate to your health care agent and medical professionals that the document is no longer effective (755 ILCS 45/4-6).
Sample
You can use the templates below as a guide to creating your own Illinois medical power of attorney.
