1. A power of attorney must be signed by the principal or, in the principal’s conscious presence, by another individual directed by the principal to sign the principal’s name on the power of attorney. A signature on a power of attorney is presumed to be genuine if the principal acknowledges the signature before a notary public or other individual authorized by law to take acknowledgments.

2. If the principal resides in a hospital, residential facility for groups, facility for skilled nursing or home for individual residential care, at the time of execution of the power of attorney, a certification of competency of the principal from an advanced practice registered nurse, a physician, psychologist or psychiatrist must be attached to the power of attorney.

3. If the principal resides or is about to reside in a hospital, assisted living facility or facility for skilled nursing at the time of execution of the power of attorney, in addition to the prohibition set forth in NRS 162A.840 and except as otherwise provided in subsection 4, the principal may not name as agent in any power of attorney for any purpose:

(a) The hospital, assisted living facility or facility for skilled nursing;

(b) An owner or operator of the hospital, assisted living facility or facility for skilled nursing; or

(c) An employee of the hospital, assisted living facility or facility for skilled nursing.

4. The principal may name as agent any person identified in subsection 3 if that person is:

(a) The spouse, legal guardian or next of kin of the principal; or

(b) Named only for the purpose of assisting the principal to establish eligibility for Medicaid and the power of attorney complies with the provisions of subsection 5.

5. A person may be named as agent pursuant to paragraph (b) of subsection 4 only if:

(a) A valid financial power of attorney for the principal does not exist;

(b) The agent has made a good faith effort to contact each family member of the principal identified in the records of the hospital, assisted living facility or facility for skilled nursing, as applicable, to request that the family member establish a financial power of attorney for the principal and has documented his or her effort;

(c) The power of attorney specifies that the agent is only authorized to access financial documents of the principal which are necessary to prove eligibility of the principal for Medicaid as described in the application for Medicaid and specifies that any request for such documentation must be accompanied by a copy of the application for Medicaid or by other proof that the document is necessary to prove eligibility for Medicaid;

(d) The power of attorney specifies that the agent does not have authority to access money or any other asset of the principal for any purpose; and

(e) The power of attorney specifies that the power of attorney is only valid until eligibility of the principal for Medicaid is determined or 6 months after the power of attorney is signed, whichever is sooner.

6. A person who is named as agent pursuant to paragraph (b) of subsection 4 shall not use the power of attorney for any purpose other than to assist the principal to establish eligibility for Medicaid and shall not use the power of attorney in a manner inconsistent with the provisions of subsection 5. A person who violates the provisions of this subsection is guilty of a category C felony and shall be punished as provided in NRS 193.130.

7. As used in this section:

(a) “Assisted living facility” has the meaning ascribed to it in NRS 422.3962.

(b) “Facility for skilled nursing” has the meaning ascribed to it in NRS 449.0039.

(c) “Home for individual residential care” has the meaning ascribed to it in NRS 449.0105.

(d) “Hospital” has the meaning ascribed to it in NRS 449.012.

(e) “Residential facility for groups” has the meaning ascribed to it in NRS 449.017.

(Added to NRS by 2009, 176; A 2011, 698; 2013, 923; 2019, 511)