HOUSE BILL 56

57th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2025

INTRODUCED BY

Pamelya Herndon

 

 

 

FOR THE LEGISLATIVE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE

 

AN ACT

RELATING TO HEALTH CARE; REQUIRING THE SECRETARY OF HEALTH CARE AUTHORITY TO ENSURE THAT MEDICAID REIMBURSEMENT FOR SERVICES PROVIDED AT BIRTH CENTERS IS THE SAME AS REIMBURSEMENT FOR SERVICES PROVIDED AT HOSPITALS.

 

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

     SECTION 1. A new section of the Public Assistance Act is enacted to read:

     "[NEW MATERIAL] EQUITABLE REIMBURSEMENT FOR SERVICES PROVIDED AT BIRTH CENTERS.--

          A. For the purposes of this section:

                (1) "birth center" means a freestanding birth center licensed by the state for the primary purpose of performing low-risk deliveries that is not a hospital, attached to a hospital or in a hospital and where births are planned to occur away from the pregnant person's residence following a low-risk pregnancy;

                (2) "medicaid" means the medical assistance program established pursuant to Title 19 of the federal Social Security Act and regulations issued pursuant to that act; and

                (3) "medicaid recipient" means a person whom the department has determined to be eligible to receive medicaid-related services.

          B. The secretary shall adopt rules to ensure that services provided to a medicaid recipient at a birth center are reimbursed at the same rate as equivalent services provided at a hospital."

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