Public Meetings This Week: Speak Up On NM Health Care Reform

From the Health Security for New Mexicans Campaign:
Speak Up in Your Community! Public forums (sponsored by Health Care for All, with other organizations) are being held around the state to discuss the results of the Mathematica study and the direction of health care reform in New Mexico.

Below are the forums taking place in the next two weeks.

• Taos County, Wednesday, August 22 (Taos Convention Center, Rio Grande Hall, 120 Civic Plaza Drive, Taos), 6:00-8:00 PM
• Sandoval County, Thursday, August 23 (Meadowlark Senior Center, 4330 Meadowlark Lane, Rio Rancho), 7:00- 8:30 PM
• San Miguel County, Tuesday, August 28 (Luna Community College, 366 Luna Drive, Las Vegas), 4:00-6:00 PM

September forums are currently scheduled for Carlsbad, Bayard, Santa Fe, Roswell, and Los Alamos. We'll keep you posted.

Here's Your Chance to Influence the Interim Legislative Committee: The Interim Legislative Health and Human Services Committee is also holding meetings this week. The meetings focus on the study and the path New Mexico should follow in regard to health care reform. Presentations on the results of the Mathematica study will be made on Wednesday, August 22, and Thursday, August 23. You can check out the agenda for the Zuni and Gallup meetings here.

• Zuni: The Interim Health and Human Services Committee will meet at 1:00 PM on Wednesday, August 22, in Zuni at the UNM Gallup/Zuni Campus, Room 102. Public comment is scheduled for 5:20 PM.
• Gallup: The committee will meet on Thursday and Friday, August 23 and 24, in Gallup at UNM Gallup, Gurley Hall, Room 205/207. Thursday's meeting begins at 10:30 AM, with public comment scheduled for 5:15 PM. Friday's meeting begins at 9:00 AM.

September interim committee meetings are tentatively scheduled for Hobbs and Roswell. We'll let you know more when the committee schedule is firm.

Please Make a Point of Attending the Forums and Interim Committee Meetings in Your Area: It is very important that those of you who live in these communities attend and make the forum organizers and the interim committee members aware of your support for the Health Security Act.

Here are some possible talking points.

• The Mathematica study clearly indicates that the Health Security Act is the only proposal that reduces health care costs and covers everyone. Only the Health Security Act costs less than the current system. It is the only model that saves money. Even after five years of operation, the other two models still cost more than the current system.
• Taxpayer dollars have been spent on a study, which is being ignored.
• This is the second time that a New Mexico study has concluded that including all or most New Mexicans in one health risk pool will save hundreds of millions of dollars. (The first was in 1994.)
• Solutions that rely on the private insurance system are not acceptable.
• The Health Security Act has had input from thousands of New Mexicans over the years. The Act is supported by 128 organizations and 26 counties and cities. It is the only proposal with public support.
• It is time to pass the Health Security Act (explain why you support it).

If you want us to send you a copy of the Mathematica study's results, contact Josette (see below). Let us know what happens at the meetings you are able to attend. Your feedback is always important to us.

Contacting the Governor: Governor Richardson has publicly stated that he does not like any of the models that were studied by his Health Coverage for New Mexicans Committee and that he is committed to a system where private insurers play a dominant role. Despite the study's conclusion that the Health Security Act would save New Mexico hundreds of millions of dollars, the Act does not have the Governor's support.

Please contact Governor Richardson and ask him to support the Health Security Act. His office can be reached at 505-476-2200. If you prefer to write him a letter, his mailing address is Office of the Governor, 490 Old Santa Fe Trail, Room 400, Santa Fe, NM 87501. You can also email him through his website.

If you have any questions, contact Josette at 505-771-8763 or jhaddad@cableone.net.