HOUSE MEMORIAL 94

49th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2009

INTRODUCED BY

Danice Picraux

A MEMORIAL

REQUESTING THE NEW MEXICO LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TO CHARGE THE INTERIM LEGISLATIVE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE WITH COMMISSIONING A TASK FORCE TO REVIEW AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS ON THE HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT'S ADMINISTRATION OF MEDICAID, THE STATE CHILDREN'S HEALTH INSURANCE PROGRAM AND THE STATE COVERAGE INSURANCE PROGRAM.

     WHEREAS, the federal Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009 significantly increases federal funding, grants and bonuses to states for enrolling children into medicaid and the state children's health insurance program; and

     WHEREAS, the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 enhances the federal medical assistance percentage rate for state expenditures on medicaid; and

     WHEREAS, New Mexico has the second highest uninsured rate in the nation; and

     WHEREAS, almost fifty thousand New Mexico children who are estimated to be eligible for medicaid and the state children's health insurance program are not enrolled; and

     WHEREAS, approximately one hundred ninety thousand eligible adults are not enrolled in medicaid or the state coverage insurance program; and

     WHEREAS, enrollment in medicaid has dropped over the last five years for the poorest families in the state while many low-income families continue to be ineligible under the state plan; and

     WHEREAS, the state coverage insurance program for adults discontinued enrollments last year, leaving thousands of people on its waiting list and without health coverage; and

     WHEREAS, more than eighteen thousand people are currently on waiting lists to receive services through the medicaid developmental disabilities and disabled and elderly waivers, while eligible individuals wait years before receiving services; and

     WHEREAS, the recent passage of the Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009 and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 substantially increases funding allotments and matching rates to New Mexico, providing critical new opportunities for the state to maximize enrollment in medicaid and the state children's health insurance program, as well as to extend the waiver program for state coverage insurance; and

     WHEREAS, performance bonuses will be awarded to states that increase enrollment by implementing administrative practices that are designed to reduce enrollment barriers and streamline the renewal process, providing the state with opportunities to implement new practices that would ensure that eligible New Mexicans can enroll and receive benefits; and

     WHEREAS, additional grants will be awarded to states and community organizations that conduct outreach campaigns to reach underserved children; and

     WHEREAS, the state will be required under the Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009 to report data annually on the enrollment of children in medicaid and the state children's health insurance program, including data on eligibility criteria, enrollment and retention, and denials and redeterminations of eligibility; and

     WHEREAS, new provisions in the federal laws allow for the state to expand eligibility for children, women, families and adults in medicaid and the state children's health insurance program; and

     WHEREAS, the state must make critical decisions that will affect eligibility policies, budgeting, administrative practices and outreach and enrollment; and

     WHEREAS, public input would enhance the decision-making process for determining how the medicaid and other state-administered health insurance programs should allocate funds, select coverage options, implement new administrative practices and target outreach; and

     WHEREAS, the state must act within fixed time frames over the year to submit applications and amend its state plan to implement options in medicaid and the state children's health insurance program, and to extend the waiver program for state coverage insurance; and

     WHEREAS, the state must act immediately to ensure that it receives federal allotments, grants and bonuses before such funds are exhausted;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the New Mexico legislative council be requested to charge the interim legislative health and human services committee with forming a task force consisting of legislators, community representatives, human services department staff and legislative finance committee staff to make recommendations and review the performance of the human services department with respect to configuring the medicaid, state coverage insurance and state children's health insurance programs; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force make recommendations to increase enrollment and maximize resources provided by the federal government, selecting and implementing new eligibility and coverage policies and administrative practices and reporting data on enrollment and retention; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force be jointly led by the chair of the interim legislative health and human services committee and a co-chair of the legislative finance committee, or their designees, and that membership include the chairs of the standing house health and government affairs committee, the house appropriations and finance committee, the senate public affairs committee and the senate finance committee, or their designees; the secretary of human services or the secretary's designee; the director of the medical assistance division of the human services department; the director of the income support division of the human services department; and representatives of at least five nonprofit community or advocacy organizations that represent medicaid recipients and have policy expertise on these matters as selected by the chair and vice chair of the legislative health and human services committee; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the human services department be requested to supply the appropriate staff and information requested by the task force to assist its analysis of the new federal laws; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force begin meeting on a regular basis from April 2009 through March 2010; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the governor, the co-chairs of the New Mexico legislative council, the secretary of human services, the chair and vice chair of the interim legislative health and human services committee and the chair and vice chair of the legislative finance committee.

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