REQUESTING THE HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT, THE INSURANCE DIVISION OF THE PUBLIC REGULATION COMMISSION AND OTHER STATE AGENCIES TO SUPPORT AND EXPEDITE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE NEW MEXICO TRIBAL HEALTH CARE ALLIANCE AS A LICENSED MANAGED CARE ORGANIZATION FOR THE DELIVERY OF QUALITY HEALTH CARE TO AMERICAN INDIANS ELIGIBLE FOR MEDICAID SERVICES.

WHEREAS, the state of New Mexico entered into a government-to-government agreement with all tribal governments with lands located within the exterior boundaries of the state of New Mexico, pledging that the state and the tribes would work together on areas of mutual concern; and

WHEREAS, the present state medicaid program, called "Salud!", includes mandates specific to the American Indian population of New Mexico, which population is underserved by the present operation of the Salud! program; and

WHEREAS, the New Mexico Tribal Health Care Alliance, incorporated, herein identified as the "alliance", was established under the direction of the nineteen Indian pueblos, the Jicarilla Apache Nation, the Mescalero Apache tribe, the Navajo Nation communities of Tohajiilee, Alamo and Ramah and the Albuquerque urban Indian health coalition to address the Salud! medicaid program mandates specific to the American Indian population of New Mexico; and

WHEREAS, the alliance has moved rapidly to build an infrastructure that will fulfill the specific mandates of Salud! that apply to the American Indian population in the state, including the establishment of a preferred provider relationship with the Indian health service; and

WHEREAS, the goals of the alliance are to maximize the involvement of tribal leaders in health issues, to serve as an information source on American Indian health care issues, to contract with the state to provide services funded by Salud!, to partner with the Indian health service as a preferred provider to maximize health care delivery to American Indian people and to contract with other organizations to purchase quality health care resources; and

WHEREAS, in order to accomplish these goals, the alliance must negotiate to become a new managed care organization in New Mexico with the insurance division of the public regulation commission and the human services department in order to deliver quality health care to American Indian people who are eligible to receive medicaid benefits;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the use of the Joint Powers Agreements Act to produce agreements between the New Mexico Tribal Health Care Alliance, incorporated, and the human services department, the insurance division of the public regulation commission and any other agencies whose cooperation and agreement is required to enable the establishment of a new managed care organization in New Mexico to deliver quality health care to American Indian people who are eligible for medicaid benefits be supported; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the legislature support the commitment to self-determination of the nineteen Indian pueblos, the Jicarilla Apache Nation, the Mescalero Apache tribe and the Navajo Nation communities of Tohajiilee, Alamo and Ramah in concert with the Albuquerque urban Indian health coalition in the creation of the alliance and the subsequent working relationship that the alliance has developed with the Indian health service for the purpose of providing the highest quality of health care for American Indian people; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the human services department, the insurance division of the public regulation commission and any other state agencies that are necessary to license a managed care organization facilitate and expedite negotiations with the alliance to approve that organization as a licensed managed care organization so that it can access medicaid funding and provide services for American Indian people eligible to receive medicaid benefits; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the commissioners of the public regulation commission, the superintendent of insurance, the deputy secretary of human services and the director of the medical assistance division of the human services department.