Advanced Health Care Directives
Advance health care directives are legal instructions. They include written instructions for health care and a power of attorney for health care.
These directives help if you become injured or too ill to make health care decisions on your own. Even though you may not be injured or ill now, you can decide how you want to handle these situations in the future.
Instructions for Health Care
These legal instructions state what to do if you become terminally ill or permanently unconscious. They say whether or not you want to be put on a life support system. They also say what kind of treatment you do and do not want. Instructions for health care are sometimes called a "Living Will."
Power of Attorney (POA) for Health Care
This power gives a person you choose the right to make health care decisions for you if you are unable to express your own wishes. This person should be someone you trust. Learn more about Advance Directives in your . Download a .
If you have questions, speak with your care coordinator or call BCBSNM at 1-866-689-1523. If you are speech or hearing impaired, call the TTY line at 711. You can also call the State of New Mexico Aging and Disability Resource Center at 1-800-432-2080.
Other Resources
- End-of-Life Options Act – This state law was passed in 2021 to aid those who are terminally ill. It allows them to ask for help to die in peace if they choose. Learn more at the .
- End-of-Life Care for Those Who Have Cancer – Visit the to find out why it is important to discuss what a loved one wishes before they are unable to do so.
