SENATE BILL 1005

48th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2007

INTRODUCED BY

Sue Wilson Beffort

AN ACT

RELATING TO HEALTH COVERAGE; PROVIDING MINIMUM HEALTH CARE BENEFIT OPTIONS FOR PUBLIC EMPLOYEES.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

     Section 1. Section 13-7-4 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1997, Chapter 74, Section 4) is amended to read:

     "13-7-4. MANDATORY CONSOLIDATED PURCHASING.--

          A. The publicly funded health care agencies shall enter into a cooperative consolidated purchasing effort to provide plans of health care benefits for the benefit of eligible participants of the respective agencies. The request for [proposal] proposals shall set forth one or more plans of health care benefits and shall include accommodation of fully funded arrangements as well as varying degrees of self-funded pool options.

          B. The publicly funded health care agencies shall offer to their respective eligible participants lower-cost health care benefit plan options that provide coverage comparable with requirements pursuant to the Minimum Healthcare Protection Act or with coverage comparable to an existing state-sponsored health coverage plan pursuant to a federal health insurance flexibility and accountability medicaid waiver that includes federal, state, employer and employee or individual premium contributions.

          [B.] C. A consolidated purchasing request for proposals for all health care benefits by the publicly funded health care agencies shall be issued on or before July 1, 1999 and any contracts for health care benefits renewed or issued on or after July 1, 2000 shall be the result of consolidated purchasing.

          [C.] D. All requests for proposals issued as part of the consolidated purchasing shall include at least one distinct service area consisting of the Albuquerque metropolitan area. Proposals on a distinct service area shall be evaluated separately."

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