N.Y. Public Health Law 2982 – Rights and duties of agent
§ 2982. Rights and duties of agent. 1. Scope of authority. Subject to any express limitations in the health care proxy, an agent shall have the authority to make any and all health care decisions on the principal's behalf that the principal could make. Such authority shall be subject to the provisions of section twenty-nine hundred eighty-nine of this article.
Terms Used In N.Y. Public Health Law 2982
- agent: means an adult to whom authority to make health care decisions is delegated under a health care proxy. See N.Y. Public Health Law 2980
- Health care: means any treatment, service or procedure to diagnose or treat an individual's physical or mental condition. See N.Y. Public Health Law 2980
- Health care proxy: means a document delegating the authority to make health care decisions, executed in accordance with the requirements of this article. See N.Y. Public Health Law 2980
- Principal: means a person who has executed a health care proxy. See N.Y. Public Health Law 2980
2. Decision-making standard. After consultation with a licensed physician, registered nurse, licensed psychologist, licensed master social worker, or a licensed clinical social worker, the agent shall make health care decisions: (a) in accordance with the principal's wishes, including the principal's religious and moral beliefs; or (b) if the principal's wishes are not reasonably known and cannot with reasonable diligence be ascertained, in accordance with the principal's best interests; provided, however, that if the principal's wishes regarding the administration of artificial nutrition and hydration are not reasonably known and cannot with reasonable diligence be ascertained, the agent shall not have the authority to make decisions regarding these measures.
3. Right to receive information. Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, the agent shall have the right to receive medical information and medical and clinical records necessary to make informed decisions regarding the principal's health care.
4. Priority over other surrogates. Health care decisions by an agent on a principal's behalf pursuant to this article shall have priority over decisions by any other person, except as otherwise provided in the health care proxy or in subdivision five of section two thousand nine hundred eighty-three of this article.