FL S1224

Allows individuals to designate a health care surrogate to receive health information and make medical decisions with immediate effect, without requiring a determination of incapacity.

Creates new procedures for minors' parents or guardians to designate health care surrogates for their children, including separate designation for mental health treatment decisions.

Expands the definition of "health care" and "health information" to include preventive, diagnostic, therapeutic, and mental health services consistent with HIPAA standards.

Requires health care providers to notify designated surrogates and primary physicians when a patient is determined incapacitated, and establishes that providers are not liable for relying on surrogate decisions while patient lacks capacity.

Replaces references to "attending or treating physician" with "primary physician" throughout advance directive provisions and updates the suggested forms for designating health care surrogates to reflect new authority options; effective October 1, 2015.