A Template, Not a Requirement
This statute provides Arizona's official sample health care power of attorney form. It covers naming an agent, naming a backup agent, and attaching a living will. It also includes organ donation and autopsy preferences. The law is clear that this form is optional.
Any writing that meets the requirements of section 36-3221 may be used to create a health care power of attorney. The following form is offered as a sample only and does not prevent a person from using other language or another form.
A.R.S. § 36-3224What matters is substance, not format. If your document is signed, dated, and either witnessed or notarized under 36-3221, Arizona recognizes it.
Many estate planning professionals use customized forms that go further than the sample. These may add instructions about life care, mental health treatment, and facility preferences.
What the Sample Form Covers
The sample includes several sections that people sometimes overlook. Beyond naming a primary and backup agent, it asks whether you have completed a living will. It also asks about a prehospital medical care directive (the orange-paper DNR).
The organ donation section is especially worth noting. If you do not initial any organ donation options, your agent and family members can make that decision after your death.
If you have strong preferences either way, completing that section removes confusion. Many families find that a professionally prepared form is easier for healthcare providers to follow.
The attorney general does not review individual forms. However, the statutory requirements ensure a minimum standard of validity.