A bill for an act relating to the authority of an attorney in fact under a durable power of attorney for health care.

This Iowa bill clarifies that a person appointed to make health care decisions (an "attorney in fact") must prioritize the patient's written instructions in the durable power of attorney document, a separate life-sustaining procedures declaration, or direct communications to them. It specifies that verbal wishes shared with others or in unrelated documents do not limit the appointee's authority unless explicitly stated in the power of attorney. If the patient's wishes are unknown, the appointee must act in the patient's best interest, considering their medical condition. The bill aims to reduce confusion about decision-making authority under existing health care proxy laws.