45th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2002

REQUESTING AN AGGRESSIVE CAMPAIGN TO RECRUIT AND RETAIN PHYSICIANS AND OTHER HEALTH PROFESSIONALS IN RURAL, MEDICALLY UNDERSERVED AND HEALTH PROFESSIONAL SHORTAGE AREAS.

WHEREAS, the Health Service Corps Act was enacted to recruit health professionals for rural and medically underserved areas; and

WHEREAS, the Medical Student Loan for Service Act was similarly designed to meet the needs resulting from a shortage of physicians, physicians' assistants and other designated health professionals in less-populated areas of the state; and

WHEREAS, the Health Professional Loan Repayment Act provides for repayment of a student's loans for his health care education, provided the health professional commits to practice in designated health professional shortage areas; and

WHEREAS, these programs represent some of the initiatives through which health professionals are encouraged to practice in rural, medically underserved and health professional shortage areas; and

WHEREAS, the legislative health and human services committee and the legislative health subcommittee have heard testimony on the shortage of health professionals throughout New Mexico; and

WHEREAS, counties, municipalities and other political subdivisions continually struggle to ensure the availability of health care services, despite limited or nonexistent resources; and

WHEREAS, the shortage of health professionals and the health care inflation rate will continue to place significant demands on the health care system and the economy of the state; and

WHEREAS, recruitment and retention of physicians and other health care providers to rural, medically underserved and health professional shortage areas requires a focused and coordinated approach;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the New Mexico health policy commission be requested to assess the needs of rural, medically underserved and health professional shortage areas and the effectiveness of the Health Service Corps Act, the Medical Student Loan for Service Act and the Health Professional Loan Repayment Act in addressing those needs; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the New Mexico health policy commission, in its assessment, consider initiatives that include:

A. higher medicaid payment rates for physicians;

B. coordination with the New Mexico congressional delegation to increase medicare payments for physicians;

C. the development of programs to mentor students and encourage them to enter the health care professions;

D. the licensing of foreign medical graduates or out-of-state health professionals;

E. the leveraging of county and local health care funding through matching funds;

F. an expansion of the programs designed to assist rural, medically underserved and health professional shortage areas; and

G. similar measures; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the New Mexico health policy commission, in consultation with appropriate health care professional licensing boards and agencies, a health professional recruitment agency and the department of health, report its findings and recommendations to an appropriate interim committee by November 1, 2002; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this memorial be transmitted to the New Mexico health policy commission.