Update On NM Health Care Reform Bills

From Health Security for New Mexicans:
The Health House and Government Affairs Committee voted to pass the Health Security Act out of committee this morning. The vote was unanimous, with two members (Rep. Bandy and Rep. Fox-Young) not present. Rep. Heaton joined other committee members in voting for the Health Security Act -- thank you so much for all your phone calls to him and to other members of this committee.

The Health Security Act now goes on to the House Judiciary Committee and will probably be heard next week. We'll let you know when a hearing is scheduled. The Health Security Act on the Senate side has not yet been scheduled in the Senate Corporations and Transportation Committee, but we expect it will be heard next week as well.

The Governor and Health Solutions
The governor is extremely upset about what happened to his bill, Health Solutions, in the House Health and Government Affairs Committee yesterday. (The committee heavily amended the bill, removing the requirement that people buy insurance, removing the requirement that businesses pay into an insurance fund, and stripping the Health Coverage Authority of regulatory power.)

During the governor's press conference yesterday, he said he was going to "turn up the heat" on legislators. He had some harsh words for the House Health and Government Affairs Committee, as well as for the House Appropriations Committee, which is still going through the budget process and has not had a chance to act on most of the bills before it. We thought you might like to read his remarks in full, so here they are.

Governor Richardson's Remarks at Wednesday's Press Conference

I said before the session started that the focus would be on health care, health care, health care.

Up until today, we saw very little action on an issue that New Mexicans want resolved.

And now, after months and months of work and compromise, a single committee in the House unraveled our best chance at a comprehensive health care plan for all New Mexicans. The misguided amendments adopted by the House Health and Governmental Affairs Committee effectively kill the concept of universal health care. And if the members of that committee think this is over, they are sorely mistaken.

I now call on the Appropriations Committee to restore the bill to its original form, and send it to the full House for an up-or-down vote.

Do you think the 400,000 uninsured New Mexicans care that legislators think this issue is too difficult to handle in a short, 30-day session? No, they don't.

Do you think New Mexicans care about the political makeup of the authority that oversees this new system? No they don't.

Do you think New Mexicans care if their legislators have an election this year and would rather not make any big decisions? No, they don't.

They care -- and I care -- that they don't have access to affordable health care, period. That's what this debate is about. Frankly, that's what this session is about. Or it should be.

After carefully studying different options for universal health care, we crafted a fiscally responsible and comprehensive plan during the past year that removes barriers against those with pre-existing conditions and provides for participation by all New Mexicans.

We worked with everyone involved during that time to improve the bill and be ready for a robust debate during the legislative session. We also made the first move toward reaching a compromise last week -- in an effort to get the bill moving.

The people of New Mexico won't stand for us to complete this session without passing comprehensive health care coverage bill. They don't want excuses. And they don't want more studies. We need to act.

Unfunded Healthcare Initiatives:

Another critical concern we have heard from providers and others is the lack of appropriate funding to attract physicians, especially to rural areas of the state.

Yet, the Appropriations Committee failed to fund several important programs that help us recruit and retain physicians, as well as cover more people, including children, under Medicaid.

The Appropriations Committee failed to fund:

• $10.7 million for the base Medicaid budget
• $8.8 million to enroll additional children in Medicaid
• $3.5 million for the healthcare workforce
• $220,000 for Telehealth
• $830,000 for PTSD funding for our veterans returning from war
• $750,000 for Native American health care services
• $1.3 million for the Health Care Authority

We have two short weeks to get this right. I am not giving up on this issue. In fact, I am ready to turn up the heat on those legislators who think they can get away with doing nothing for the people who elected them.