House Bill text for HB0764

HOUSE BILL 764

48th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2007

INTRODUCED BY

Joni Marie Gutierrez

AN ACT

RELATING TO HEALTH; MOVING THE NEW MEXICO HEALTH POLICY COMMISSION STAFF TO THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH; REPLACING THE COMMISSION WITH AN ADVISORY BOARD; PROVIDING FOR TRANSFERS OF FUNCTIONS, PERSONNEL, PROPERTY, CONTRACTS AND STATUTORY REFERENCES; AMENDING, REPEALING AND ENACTING SECTIONS OF THE NMSA 1978.

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

Section 1. Section 9-7-4 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1991, Chapter 25, Section 16, as amended) is amended to read:

"9-7-4. DEPARTMENT ESTABLISHED.--

A. There is created in the executive branch the "department of health". The department shall be a cabinet department and shall include, but not be limited to, the programs and functions of the public health division, the behavioral health services division, [and] the scientific laboratory and the office of policy and multicultural health.

B. All references in the law to the public health division of the health and environment department, the behavioral health services division of the health and environment department, the state department of public health, the public health department, the health services division or the state board of health shall be construed as referring to the department.

C. The administrative services division of the department shall provide clerical, recordkeeping and administrative support to the department, including, but not limited to, the areas of personnel, budget, procurement and contracting.

D. The information technology division shall have all those powers and duties conferred upon it by the secretary with the consent of the governor.

E. In addition to other duties assigned by the secretary, the office of policy and multicultural health shall:

(1) develop a plan for, monitor and evaluate progress of the implementation of the state's health policy and the comprehensive strategic plan for health and report annually to the legislative finance committee and the legislative health and human services committee;

(2) obtain and evaluate information from a broad spectrum of New Mexico's society to develop and monitor the implementation of the state's health policy and report annually to the legislative finance committee and the legislative health and human services committee;

(3) obtain and evaluate information relating to factors that affect the availability and accessibility of health services and health care personnel in the public and private sectors;

(4) perform needs assessments on health personnel, health education and recruitment and retention efforts and make recommendations regarding the training, recruitment, placement and retention of health professionals in underserved areas of the state;

(5) prepare and publish an annual report describing the progress made in addressing the state's health policy and planning issues. The report shall include a work plan of goals and objectives for addressing the state's health policy and planning issues in the upcoming year;

(6) distribute the annual report to the governor, appropriate state agencies and interim legislative committees and interested parties;

(7) establish a process to prioritize recommendations on program development, resource allocation and proposed legislation;

(8) provide information and analysis on health issues;

(9) serve as a catalyst and synthesizer of health policy in the public and private sectors;

(10) respond to requests by the executive and legislative branches of government;

(11) ensure that any behavioral health projects, including those relating to mental health and substance abuse, are conducted in compliance with the requirements of Section 9-7-6.4 NMSA 1978; and

(12) operate and maintain the health information system created pursuant to the Health Information System Act."

Section 2. Section 9-7-4.1 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 2004, Chapter 51, Section 1) is amended to read:

"9-7-4.1. COMPREHENSIVE STRATEGIC PLAN FOR HEALTH.--

A. The office of policy and multicultural health and other divisions of the department, in conjunction with [the New Mexico health policy commission and] other state agencies, pursuant to Section 9-7-11.1 NMSA 1978, shall develop a comprehensive strategic plan for health that emphasizes prevention, personal responsibility, access and quality.

B. The department shall publish the comprehensive strategic plan for health by [July 1, 2004 and July 1 of subsequent even-numbered years] September 1, 2008 and every four years thereafter. By [July 1 of odd-numbered years] September 1 of each even-numbered year, the department shall review and update or amend the plan in response to changes and developments.

C. The department shall include the legislature, health care providers, consumer and patient advocates, health care financing organizations, managed care organizations, major insurers in the state, the human services department, the children, youth and families department, the [state agency on] aging and long-term services department, pharmaceutical manufacturers and other stakeholders in its development of the comprehensive strategic plan for health so as to give geographic representation to all areas of the state. The department shall ensure that public participation and public input are integrated into the planning process. The department shall convene regional meetings on the proposed plan to allow public review and comment, including oral and written testimony, pursuant to the Open Meetings Act.

D. The department shall consult with the governments of Indian nations, tribes and pueblos located wholly or partially within New Mexico to include Indian nations, tribes and pueblos in the development of the comprehensive strategic plan for health.

E. The department shall report its findings, recommendations and goals in its [biennial] comprehensive strategic plan for health. The plan shall address the following areas and others that the governor and the legislature may from time to time request:

(1) a summary of the state's health care system that includes the financial, administrative and delivery structure in both the public and private sector;

(2) the diseases, injuries and risk factors for physical, behavioral and oral health that are the greatest cause of illness, injury or death in the state, with special attention to and recognition of the disparities that currently exist for different population groups;

(3) key indicators of and barriers to health care coverage and access, with specific emphasis on reducing the number of uninsured New Mexicans;

(4) the role of the department, other state agencies and the private sector in identifying strategies and interventions to provide health care coverage, access and quality;

(5) a continuum of care model that emphasizes prevention, early intervention and health promotion and that includes public health services, emergency medical services, primary care, acute care, specialized care, tertiary care and long-term care;

(6) health education, wellness, nutrition and exercise initiatives that emphasize personal health responsibility;

(7) workforce initiatives to identify, recruit and retain health care professionals;

(8) health care facility infrastructure, capacity, capitalization and financial viability in both the public and private sector;

(9) licensing, credentialing, oversight and tracking initiatives designed to improve health care quality and outcome measurements;

(10) programs, services and activities designed to address the needs of the disabled, elderly and other special-needs populations;

(11) anticipated demands and challenges on the health care system as the need for long-term care services increases;

(12) data and information addressing key health status and system indicators, statistics, benchmarks, targets and goals for the state and comparing it nationally, regionally and to other states of similar size and demographics; provided that individually identifiable health information and other proprietary information is protected as required by state or federal law; and

(13) planning and response to public health emergencies, including bioterrorism, pandemic flu, disease outbreaks and other situations that will require a coordinated response by the health care system."

Section 3. Section 9-7-6.4 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 2004, Chapter 46, Section 8) is amended to read:

"9-7-6.4. INTERAGENCY BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PURCHASING COLLABORATIVE.--

A. There is created the "interagency behavioral health purchasing collaborative", consisting of the secretaries of aging and long-term services, Indian affairs, human services, health, corrections, children, youth and families, finance and administration, labor, public education and transportation; the directors of [the state agency on aging] the administrative office of the courts, [the New Mexico office of Indian affairs] the New Mexico mortgage finance authority, the governor's [committee on concerns of the handicapped] commission on disability, the developmental disabilities planning council and the vocational rehabilitation division of the public education department [and the New Mexico health policy commission]; and the governor's health policy coordinator, or their designees. The collaborative shall be chaired by the secretary of human services with the respective secretaries of health and children, youth and families alternating annually as co-chairs.

B. The collaborative shall meet regularly and at the call of either co-chair and shall:

(1) identify behavioral health needs statewide, with an emphasis on that hiatus between needs and services set forth in the department of health's gap analysis and in ongoing needs assessments, and develop a master plan for statewide delivery of services;

(2) give special attention to regional differences, including cultural, rural, frontier, urban and border issues;

(3) inventory all expenditures for behavioral health, including mental health and substance abuse;

(4) plan, design and direct a statewide behavioral health system, ensuring both availability of services and efficient use of all behavioral health funding, taking into consideration funding appropriated to specific affected departments; and

(5) contract for operation of one or more behavioral health entities to ensure availability of services throughout the state.

C. The plan for delivery of behavioral health services shall include specific service plans to address the needs of infants, children, adolescents, adults and seniors, as well as to address workforce development and retention and quality improvement issues. The plan shall be revised every two years and shall be adopted by the department of health as part of the statewide health plan.

D. The plan shall take the following principles into consideration, to the extent practicable and within available resources:

(1) services should be individually centered and family focused based on principles of individual capacity for recovery and resiliency;

(2) services should be delivered in a culturally responsive manner in a home or community-based setting, where possible;

(3) services should be delivered in the least restrictive and most appropriate manner;

(4) individualized service planning and case management should take into consideration individual and family circumstances, abilities and strengths and be accomplished in consultation with appropriate family members, caregivers and other persons critical to the individual's life and well-being;

(5) services should be coordinated, accessible, accountable and of high quality;

(6) services should be directed by the individual or family served to the extent possible;

(7) services may be consumer or family provided, as defined by the collaborative;

(8) services should include behavioral health promotion, prevention, early intervention, treatment and community support; and

(9) services should consider regional differences, including cultural, rural, frontier, urban and border issues.

E. The collaborative shall seek and consider suggestions of Native American representatives from Indian nations, tribes, pueblos and the urban Indian population, located wholly or partially within New Mexico, in the development of the plan for delivery of behavioral health services."

Section 4. Section 9-7-11.1 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1991, Chapter 139, Section 1) is amended to read:

"9-7-11.1. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE.--

A. The legislature finds that good health is among [our] the most cherished desires. To achieve optimal health requires both individual and collective responsibility and action and, therefore, state government must assume a leadership role by establishing and implementing policies in all aspects of health. In order to fulfill its proper leadership obligation within public resource constraints, the state must perform a variety of carefully tailored roles in concert with individuals, the private sector and local, federal and tribal governments.

B. The legislature also finds that health care requires a growing portion of the state's public and private resources and impacts a broad segment of the state's economy; a need, therefore, exists to establish an entity for research, guidance and recommendations on health policy and planning issues.

C. [The purpose of the New Mexico health policy commission] One of the functions of the office of policy and multicultural health is to provide a forum for the discussion of complex and controversial health policy and planning issues and for the creative exploration of ideas, issues and problems surrounding health policy and planning, including the interrelations with education, the environment and economic well-being.

D. It is the policy of the state [of New Mexico] to promote optimal health; to prevent disease, disability and premature death; to improve the quality of life; and to [assure] ensure that basic health services are available, accessible, acceptable and culturally appropriate, regardless of financial status. This policy shall be realized through the following organized efforts:

(1) education, motivation and support of the individual in healthy behavior;

(2) protection and improvement of the physical and social environments;

(3) promotion of health services for early diagnosis and prevention of disease and disability; and

(4) provisions of basic treatment services needed by all New Mexicans."

Section 5. A new section of the Department of Health Act is enacted to read:

"[NEW MATERIAL] HEALTH POLICY ADVISORY BOARD.--

A. The "health policy advisory board" is created and administratively attached to the department. The board shall consist of four members appointed by the governor, two members appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives and two members appointed by the president pro tempore of the senate. Members shall serve at the pleasure of the appointing authority. Members are entitled to per diem and mileage in accordance with the Per Diem and Mileage Act, but shall receive no other compensation, perquisite or allowance.

B. The board shall participate with the department and the office of policy and multicultural health on the development of the comprehensive strategic plan for health. The board shall independently review health data and make recommendations related to health policy to the department."

Section 6. Section 24-1G-4 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 2005, Chapter 55, Section 4) is amended to read:

"24-1G-4. TELEHEALTH COMMISSION CREATED--POWERS AND DUTIES--MEMBERSHIP.--

A. The "New Mexico telehealth commission" is created. The commission is administratively attached to the department of health [which] and shall work in conjunction with the [New Mexico health policy commission, in accordance with the Executive Reorganization Act] office of policy and multicultural health of the department.

B. The commission shall consist of no more than twenty-five members with members, one-third of whom shall be from rural areas, chosen from the following categories, all of whom shall be appointed by and serve at the pleasure of the governor:

(1) health care facilities;

(2) health care practitioners;

(3) health care workforce educators; (4) telehealth technology experts;

(5) the telecommunications industry;

(6) the business community;

(7) health care insurance providers or other health care payers;

(8) Indian nations, tribes and pueblos;

(9) legislators;

(10) state agencies responsible for:

(a) telecommunications;

(b) public health;

(d) workforce development;

(e) children's health and social services;

(f) services for the elderly and disabled;

(g) criminal justice;

(h) health policy and planning; and

(i) education; and

(11) other members as the governor may appoint to ensure appropriate cultural and geographic representation and the interests of the public.

C. The commission shall:

(1) identify how telehealth can be used to increase access to care and implement state comprehensive health plans;

(2) identify barriers to telehealth utilization and expansion, including payment, infrastructure, training and workforce availability;

(3) inventory the state's telehealth assets, map available telecommunications infrastructure and examine the financial impact of failing to develop the state's telehealth capacities;

(4) coordinate public and private sector initiatives to enhance networking, portal development and connectivity and to expand telehealth and telecommunications capacity;

(5) establish such subcommittees as the commission deems necessary to fulfill its purpose, powers and duties or to address specific telehealth issues;

(6) identify specific actions to increase collaborative efforts and public-private partnerships to increase the use of telehealth for health care access development, patient outcome improvement, patient and workforce education and health care practitioner recruitment and development;

(7) develop and disseminate specific telehealth standards and guidelines to ensure quality of care, positive health outcomes, appropriate use of technology and protection of privacy and confidentiality;

(8) review and comment on initiatives, projects or grant applications to ensure telehealth standards and guidelines are met and maximum collaboration and cooperation across the state is encouraged;

(9) meet at least once each quarter at the call of the chair or vice chair, who shall be designated by the governor from among the membership; and

(10) report annually to the governor and the legislature on the state of the telehealth system and the adequacy and allocation of telehealth services throughout the state, providing the governor and the legislature with specific recommendations for improving telehealth and related service systems.

D. A majority of the members of the commission constitutes a quorum for the transaction of business."

Section 7. Section 24-14-27 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1961, Chapter 44, Section 25, as amended) is amended to read:

"24-14-27. DISCLOSURE OF RECORDS.--

A. It is unlawful for any person to permit inspection of or to disclose information contained in vital records or to copy or issue a copy of all or part of any record except as authorized by law.

B. The department shall provide access to record level data required by the [New Mexico health policy commission] office of policy and multicultural health of the department and the health information system created in the Health Information System Act. The [New Mexico health policy commission] office and the health information system may only release record level data obtained from vital records in the aggregate. For the purposes of this subsection, "record level data" means one or more unique and non-aggregated data elements relating to a single identifiable individual. The department may authorize the disclosure of data contained in vital records for other research purposes.

C. When one hundred years have elapsed after the date of birth or fifty years have elapsed after the date of death, the vital records of these events in the custody of the state registrar shall become open public records and information shall be made available in accordance with [regulations] rules that provide for the continued safekeeping of the records; provided that vital records of birth shall not become open public records prior to the individual's death."

Section 8. Section 24-14A-2 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1989, Chapter 29, Section 2, as amended) is amended to read:

"24-14A-2. DEFINITIONS.--As used in the Health Information System Act:

A. "aggregate data" means data [which] that is obtained by combining like data in a manner [which] that precludes specific identification of a single client or provider;

B. "commission" or "office" means the [New Mexico health policy commission] office of policy and multicultural health of the department;

C. "department" means the department of health;

D. "health information" or "health data" means any data relating to health care; health status, including environmental, social and economic factors; the health system; or health costs and financing;

E. "hospital" means any general or special hospital licensed by the department, whether publicly or privately owned;

F. "long-term care facility" means any skilled nursing facility or nursing facility licensed by the department, whether publicly or privately owned;

G. "data source" includes those categories of persons or entities that possess health information, including any public or private sector licensed health care practitioner, primary care clinic, ambulatory surgery center, ambulatory urgent care center, ambulatory dialysis unit, home health agency, long-term care facility, hospital, pharmacy, third-party payer and any public entity that has health information; and

H. "third-party payer" means any public or private payer of health care services and includes health maintenance organizations and health insurers."

Section 9. Section 27-5-4 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1965, Chapter 234, Section 4, as amended) is amended to read:

"27-5-4. DEFINITIONS.--As used in the Indigent Hospital and County Health Care Act:

A. "ambulance provider" or "ambulance service" means a specialized carrier based within the state authorized under provisions and subject to limitations as provided in individual carrier certificates issued by the public regulation commission to transport persons alive, dead or dying en route by means of ambulance service. The rates and charges established by public regulation commission tariff shall govern as to allowable cost. Also included are air ambulance services approved by the board. The air ambulance service charges shall be filed and approved pursuant to Subsection D of Section 27-5-6 NMSA 1978 and Section 27-5-11 NMSA 1978;

B. "board" means a county indigent hospital and county health care board;

C. "indigent patient" means a person to whom an ambulance service, a hospital or a health care provider has provided medical care, ambulance transportation or health care services and who can normally support [himself] the person's self and [his] the person's dependents on present income and liquid assets available to [him] the person but, taking into consideration this income and those assets and [his] the person's requirement for other necessities of life for [himself] the person and [his] the person's dependents, is unable to pay the cost of the ambulance transportation or medical care administered or both. If provided by resolution of a board, it shall not include any person whose annual income together with [his] the person's spouse's annual income totals an amount that is fifty percent greater than the per capita personal income for New Mexico as shown for the most recent year available in the survey of current business published by the United States department of commerce. Every board that has a balance remaining in the fund at the end of a given fiscal year shall consider and may adopt at the first meeting of the succeeding fiscal year a resolution increasing the standard for indigency. The term "indigent patient" includes a minor who has received ambulance transportation or medical care or both and whose parent or the person having custody of that minor would qualify as an indigent patient if transported by ambulance, admitted to a hospital for care or treated by a health care provider;

D. "hospital" means a general or limited hospital licensed by the department of health, whether nonprofit or owned by a political subdivision, and may include by resolution of a board the following health facilities if licensed or, in the case of out-of-state hospitals, approved by the department of health:

(1) for-profit hospitals;

(2) state-owned hospitals; or

(3) licensed out-of-state hospitals where treatment provided is necessary for the proper care of an indigent patient when that care is not available in an

in-state hospital;

E. "cost" means all allowable costs of providing health care services, to the extent determined by resolution of a board, for an indigent patient. Allowable costs shall be based on medicaid fee-for-service reimbursement rates for hospitals, licensed medical doctors and osteopathic physicians;

F. "fund" means a county indigent hospital claims fund;

G. "medicaid eligible" means a person who is eligible for medical assistance from the department;

H. "county" means a county except a class A county with a county hospital operated and maintained pursuant to a lease with a state educational institution named in Article 12, Section 11 of the constitution of New Mexico;

I. "department" means the human services department;

J. "sole community provider hospital" means:

(1) a hospital that is a sole community provider hospital under the provisions of the federal medicare guidelines; or

(2) an acute care general hospital licensed by the department of health that is qualified, pursuant to rules adopted by the state agency primarily responsible for the medicaid program, to receive distributions from the sole community provider fund;

K. "drug rehabilitation center" means an agency of local government, a state agency, a private nonprofit entity or combination thereof that operates drug abuse rehabilitation programs that meet the standards and requirements set by the department of health;

L. "alcohol rehabilitation center" means an agency of local government, a state agency, a private nonprofit entity or combination thereof that operates alcohol abuse rehabilitation programs that meet the standards set by the department of health;

M. "mental health center" means a not-for-profit center that provides outpatient mental health services that meet the standards set by the department of health;

N. "health care provider" means:

(1) a nursing home;

(2) an in-state home health agency;

(3) an in-state licensed hospice;

(4) a community-based health program operated by a political subdivision of the state or other nonprofit health organization that provides prenatal care delivered by New Mexico licensed, certified or registered health care practitioners;

(5) a community-based health program operated by a political subdivision of the state or other nonprofit health care organization that provides primary care delivered by New Mexico licensed, certified or registered health care practitioners;

(6) a drug rehabilitation center;

(7) an alcohol rehabilitation center;

(8) a mental health center;

(9) a licensed medical doctor, osteopathic physician, dentist, optometrist or expanded practice nurse when providing emergency services, as determined by the board, in a hospital to an indigent patient; or

(10) a licensed medical doctor or osteopathic physician, dentist, optometrist or expanded practice nurse when providing services in an outpatient setting, as determined by the board, to an indigent patient with a life-threatening illness or disability;

O. "health care services" means treatment and services designed to promote improved health in the county indigent population, including primary care, prenatal care, dental care, provision of prescription drugs, preventive care or health outreach services, to the extent determined by resolution of the board;

P. "planning" means the development of a countywide or multicounty health plan to improve and fund health services in the county based on the county's needs assessment and inventory of existing services and resources and that demonstrates coordination between the county and state and local health planning efforts; and

Q. "commission" or "office" means the [New Mexico health policy commission] office of policy and multicultural health of the department of health."

Section 10. TEMPORARY PROVISIONS--TRANSFER OF FUNCTIONS, PERSONNEL, PROPERTY, CONTRACTS AND STATUTORY REFERENCES.--

A. On July 1, 2007, all functions, personnel, money, appropriations, records, files, furniture, equipment and other property of the New Mexico health policy commission shall be transferred to the department of health.

B. On July 1, 2007, all contractual obligations of the New Mexico health policy commission shall be obligations of the department of health.

C. On July 1, 2007, all references in the law to the New Mexico health policy commission shall be deemed to be references to the office of policy and multicultural health of the department of health.

Section 11. REPEAL.--Sections 9-7-11.2 and 9-7-11.3 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1991, Chapter 139, Section 2 and Laws 2003, Chapter 235, Section 2, as amended) are repealed.

Section 12. EFFECTIVE DATE.--The effective date of the provisions of this act is July 1, 2007.

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