The North Carolina Health Care Directives
Our clients receive a set of NC Health Care Directives when they have us complete their comprehensive estate plan. NC has three health care directives – the Health Care Power of Attorney, Living Will and HIPAA.
These documents appoint an agent to make your medical decisions and release your protected medical information if you’re unable to do so on your own. Often, they’re presented to the physician or health facility when a scheduled appointment, procedure or hospitalization is necessary.
What is DocuBank?
Unfortunately, not all health care is scheduled. Sometimes, health care decisions are needed in an emergency, and in such circumstances sometimes people don’t have their documents on them. Due to the situation, they’re not able to tell anyone where to find their documents. Without these directives, their agents and wishes aren’t available when emergency medical decisions are needed.
If this is a concern to you or your family, we suggest that you use the services of electronic storage and access service. The service we recommend is DocuBank. DocuBank is the largest and oldest electronic storage and access service in the nation.
We are so convinced of the importance of this service that DocuBank membership is included as part of our Family Care Plan(FCP); a concierge estate maintenance program for our most discerning clients.
We know from experience that when our Family Care Plan participants have DocuBank, their voice will be heard quickly in an emergency, even though they can’t speak on their own behalf. Having this service gives these clients peace-of-mind. They know that they will receive the care they expect because their wishes are known and the agent they named and trusted, will be the person speaking on their behalf.
Members of DocuBank receive an Emergency Card which stays in their wallet. Should an accident or emergency occur a member’s wallet is likely with them, or nearby. Wallets usually contain a driver’s license and health insurance card. A DocuBank sticker is on the license and a separate DocuBank card is in the same location. The card has a toll-free number, name of the appointed agent, drug allergies and special medical conditions. Because health care directives are electronically stored by DocuBank, when a provider calls the toll-free number, the documents are immediately accessible, 24-hours a day, 365 days a year.
To contact DocuBank about their plans, please call (866)362-8226
Contact Us
Law Offices of Cheryl David is ready to help you with your health care power of attorney planning, contact our office today to learn more about estate planning and how we can help you.
