Legal Question in Health Care Law in Mississippi

Re: power of attorney for health care

There are different kinds of powers of attorney (POA). One kind of POA only gives you the right to make health care decisions. If that is your POA you have no responsibility regarding payments.

Another type of POA gives you control over her money. If you have that type of POA you are responsible for using her money to get her health care bills paid. The POA does not make you personally liable unless you take her money for your own purposes.

However, sometimes a nursing home will not accept a patient unless a family member signs that he or she will be responsible for paying the nursing home's fee. If you signed such an agreement you would be liable under contract, not the POA.