A MEMORIAL

REQUESTING HOSPITALS TO WORK WITH APPROPRIATE STATE AGENCIES TO DEVELOP A PROCESS FOR INFORMING THE PUBLIC ABOUT HOSPITAL CHARGES, HOSPITAL QUALITY AND ANNUAL INCREASES IN HOSPITAL CHARGES.

     WHEREAS, information about hospital charges, the relative quality of a hospital when compared to other hospitals and increases in hospital charges over the last several years can be helpful to health care consumers in determining where to seek services; and

     WHEREAS, hospital charges can be confusing and difficult for a health care consumer to obtain; and

     WHEREAS, there is no central place where the charge description masters of all of the hospitals in the state are gathered and published; and

     WHEREAS, there exists little official information identifying annual increases in charges for hospital services; and

     WHEREAS, there is no central place where a consumer can seek information regarding the relative quality of hospitals in New Mexico;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that hospitals, through the New Mexico hospitals and health systems association, be requested to work with appropriate state agencies to develop a process by which hospital charges, relative hospital quality and annual increases in charges of hospitals may be made easily available to consumers; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the New Mexico health policy commission, the secretary of health and the New Mexico hospitals and health systems association.