A. An individual, while having capacity, may revoke the designation of an agent either by a signed writing or by personally informing the supervising health-care provider. If the individual cannot sign, a written revocation must be signed for the individual and be witnessed by two witnesses, each of whom has signed at the direction and in the presence of the individual and of each other.
B. An individual, while having capacity, may revoke all or part of an advance health-care directive, other than the designation of an agent, at any time and in any manner that communicates an intent to revoke.
C. A health-care provider, agent, guardian or surrogate who is informed of a revocation shall promptly communicate the fact of the revocation to the supervising health-care provider and to any health-care institution at which the patient is receiving care.
D. The filing of a petition for or a decree of annulment, divorce, dissolution of marriage or legal separation revokes a previous designation of a spouse as agent unless otherwise specified in the decree or in a power of attorney for health care. A designation revoked solely by this subsection is revived by the individual's remarriage to the former spouse, by a nullification of the divorce, annulment or legal separation or by the dismissal or withdrawal, with the individual's consent, of a petition seeking annulment, divorce, dissolution of marriage or legal separation.
E. An advance health-care directive that conflicts with an earlier advance health-care directive revokes the earlier directive to the extent of the conflict.
History: Laws 1995, ch. 182, § 3; 1997, ch. 168, § 2.
The 1997 amendment, effective July 1, 1997, in Subsection A, substituted "either" for "only" in the first sentence and added the second sentence.
Structure New Mexico Statutes
Chapter 24 - Health and Safety
Article 7A - Uniform Health-Care Decisions
Section 24-7A-1 - Definitions.
Section 24-7A-2 - Advance health-care directives.
Section 24-7A-2.1 - Prohibited practice.
Section 24-7A-3 - Revocation of advance health-care directive.
Section 24-7A-4 - Optional form.
Section 24-7A-5 - Decisions by surrogate.
Section 24-7A-6 - Decisions by guardian.
Section 24-7A-6.1 - Life-sustaining treatment for unemancipated minors.
Section 24-7A-6.2 - Consent to health care for certain minors fourteen years of age or older.
Section 24-7A-7 - Obligations of health-care practitioner.
Section 24-7A-8 - Health-care information.
Section 24-7A-10 - Statutory damages.
Section 24-7A-12 - Effect of copy.
Section 24-7A-13 - Effect of the Uniform Health-Care Decisions Act.
Section 24-7A-14 - Judicial relief.
Section 24-7A-15 - Uniformity of application and construction.
Section 24-7A-16 - Transitional provisions.