Patient Advocate and Advance Directive
Make Your Wishes Known: Advance Directives
McLaren Health Plan supports your right to file an Advance Directive according to Michigan law. This document is a written statement of your wishes for medical care. It explains, in advance, what treatments you want or don’t want if you have a serious medical condition that prevents you from telling your provider how you want to be treated. Your health care representative also may make medical decisions on your behalf to carry out your wishes if you become incapacitated. Our plan cannot refuse care or otherwise discriminate against a member based on their decision to have or not have an Advance Directive.
The State of Michigan only recognizes an advance directive called a durable power of attorney for health care. To create one, you will need to choose a patient advocate.
This person carries out your wishes and makes decisions for you when you cannot. It is important to choose a person who you know and trust to be your advocate. Make sure you talk with the person to let them know what you want.
Talk to your family and primary care physician about your choices. File a copy of your advance directive with your other important papers. Give a copy to the person you designate as your patient advocate. Ask to have a copy placed in your medical record.
Where to get Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care Forms:
State Bar of Michigan – A Guide to Medical and Legal Decisions: Planning and Your Peace of Mind https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Publications/PeaceofMind.pdf
CaringInfo: Free templates for Michigan https://www.caringinfo.org/planning/advance-directives/by-state/michigan/
Michigan Power of Attorney Forms (free and downloadable) https://powerofattorney.com/michigan/
For complaints about how your provider follows your wishes, write or call:
Bureau of Health Professions (BHP), Complaint & Allegation Division
P.O. Box 30670
Lansing, MI 48909-8170
(517) 241-2389 or bhpinfo@michigan.gov
The BHP Complaint & Allegation website is www.michigan.gov/healthlicense (click on "file a complaint").
For complaints about how your health plan follows your wishes, write or call:
Michigan Department of Insurance and Financial Services
Toll free at (877) 999-6442 or www.michigan.gov/difs