44th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2000

REQUESTING THE NEW MEXICO HEALTH POLICY COMMISSION TO ASSESS THE FEASIBILITY OF A MANAGED CARE PLAN BASED ON THE STATEWIDE NETWORK OF FEDERALLY QUALIFIED HEALTH CARE CENTERS AND RURAL CLINICS.

WHEREAS, twenty-one percent of all New Mexicans and nearly twenty-eight percent of adult New Mexicans are without health insurance, with most declaring affordability as the major cause; and

WHEREAS, New Mexico has an extensive statewide network of federally qualified health care centers and rural health clinics supported by federal, state and local government resources that provide a safety net for the low-income uninsured; and

WHEREAS, fifteen percent of adult New Mexicans identify these community clinics as their primary source of health care; and

WHEREAS, the first session of the forty-fourth legislature directed the New Mexico health policy commission, in House Joint Memorial 18, to develop a strategic plan for publicly funded health care to further the state health policy;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the New Mexico health policy commission include consideration of the development of a managed care plan based on services provided through federally qualified health care centers and rural health clinics as part of the strategic plan to further state health policy as requested in House Joint Memorial 18; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the New Mexico health policy commission consider various options to leverage resources, including the state children's health insurance program community based waiver option, disproportionate share payments for indigent care, critical access hospital designation, federal health care finance administration waivers and various risk sharing mechanisms; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the department of health, the human services department and the insurance division of the public regulation commission be consulted by and provide technical assistance to the New Mexico health policy commission; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the New Mexico health policy commission report its findings and recommendations to the legislative health and human services committee and the legislative finance committee by October 1, 2000; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this memorial be sent to the New Mexico health policy commission, the department of health, the human services department and the superintendent of insurance of the public regulation commission.