April 5, 2001

 

HOUSE EXECUTIVE MESSAGE NO. 78

 

 

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

 

This bill would expand the current Medicaid system to allow licensed doctors of oriental medicine and chiropractic physicians to provide services to Medicaid clients. It also contains a provision that mandates equal pay rates that are not applicable to services delivered within Medicaid managed care. Currently, the Medicaid managed care organizations offer some of the proposed services as enhanced services. This bill removes some of the flexibility that makes the New Mexico Salud! Medicaid managed care program a model of effective efficiency. This flexibility allows the program to address the needs of a varied population by adapting and evolving. Removing this flexibility would only serve to make Salud! less responsive to the needs of New Mexicans who depend on the managed care program for their health care needs and that is unacceptable.

 

 

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     

                                                                                  Hem78hb548