April 6, 2001

 

HOUSE EXECUTIVE MESSAGE NO.  110

 

 

The Honorable Ben Lujan and

Members of the House of Representatives

Executive-Legislative Building

Santa Fe, New Mexico 87503

 

Honorable Speaker and Members of the House:

 

I have this day VETOED and am returning HOUSE BILL 60, as amended

enacted by the Forty-Fifth Legislature, First Session, 2001.

 

 

This bill would require Medicaid providers to demonstrate that good cause exists to refuse to renew health care professional contracts.  It would also prohibit discrimination against health care professionals based on race, ethnicity, gender, religious beliefs or sexual orientation and provide a civil cause of action for violations. This legislation addresses discrimination, which should be fought at every opportunity. However, there are numerous civil rights laws that protect against this very type of discrimination. Furthermore, this legislation would force Medicaid providers to continually contract with health care professionals, whether they wanted to or not. This is contrary to the idea that parties should be free to contract with whomever they wish and poses an unfair burden on the Medicaid providers within our managed care system. I believe it is essential to take the necessary steps to ensure that our managed care system will continue to serve as a model of effective, efficient delivery of superior health care services.

 

 

Sincerely,         

 

 

          Gary E. Johnson         

Governor         

 

 

 


RECEIVED FROM THE OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR:

 

Time: _____________________                By:_____________________________

                                                                     Secretary of State

Date ______________________             

 

 

Time:______________________

 

Date_______________________               By:_____________________________

                                                                     Chief Clerk of the House     

                                                                                  H110 h60