SENATE MEMORIAL 12

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

INTRODUCED BY

Martin Hickey

 

 

 

 

 

A MEMORIAL

REQUESTING THE LEGISLATIVE FINANCE COMMITTEE TO PERFORM A STUDY TO IDENTIFY OPTIONS TO INCREASE PAY FOR PROVIDERS OF MEDICAL SPECIALTIES TO ENSURE NEW MEXICO IS REGIONALLY COMPETITIVE IN RECRUITING AND RETAINING THOSE PROVIDERS.

 

     WHEREAS, in recent years, medical specialty provider groups have been unable to recruit and hire new physicians; and

     WHEREAS, it has been reported that New Mexico is the state with the greatest average age of physicians; and

     WHEREAS, nearly one-half of New Mexico residents are enrolled in medicaid, which only pays medical specialists one hundred percent of the rate for services that would be covered by medicare for evaluation and management medical services codes and just sixty to seventy percent of the rate for services that would be covered by medicare for procedural medical services codes; and

     WHEREAS, the medicare program has consistently reduced physician payments over the past five years; and

     WHEREAS, eighteen percent of the population in New Mexico is covered by medicare, which is three percent higher than the national average; and

     WHEREAS, just twenty-five percent of medical billing in New Mexico is covered by the commercial market, compared to other states' commercial market medical billing rates of fifty to seventy percent, which means New Mexico does not have an effective cost-shifting mechanism from higher commercial market rates to balance the amount of government rate billing; and

     WHEREAS, New Mexico residents are currently experiencing delays of six to eighteen months to see a specialist medical provider, which results in residents experiencing needless suffering and severely unattended chronic disease exacerbations;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the legislative finance committee be requested to perform a study to identify options to increase pay for providers of medical specialties to ensure New Mexico is regionally competitive in recruiting and retaining those providers; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the legislature be encouraged to provide funding to the legislative finance committee in the amount of two hundred thousand dollars ($200,000) to provide for a contractor to complete the study; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the president pro tempore of the senate, the speaker of the house of representatives and the director of the legislative finance committee.

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