HOUSE APPROPRIATIONS AND FINANCE COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR
HOUSE MEMORIAL 94
49th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2009
A MEMORIAL
REQUESTING THE NEW MEXICO LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TO CHARGE THE INTERIM LEGISLATIVE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE WITH CONDUCTING HEARINGS TO INVESTIGATE AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS ON THE HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT'S CONFIGURATION OF MEDICAID, THE STATE CHILDREN'S HEALTH INSURANCE PROGRAM AND THE STATE COVERAGE INSURANCE PROGRAM PURSUANT TO NEW FEDERAL LAWS.
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 in its work plan with investigating the performance of the human services department with respect to configuring the medicaid, state coverage insurance and state children's health insurance programs pursuant to the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 and the Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the legislative health and human services committee investigate and make recommendations for increasing enrollment and maximizing 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 legislative health and human services committee invite the participation of the staff of the legislative finance committee, as well as the membership 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 at hearings with respect to configuring medicaid, state coverage insurance and state children's health insurance program eligibility and coverage policies, administrative practices and budgetary matters pursuant to the new federal laws; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the legislative health and human services committee be charged with calling upon the secretary of human services; 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 nonprofit community or advocacy organizations that represent medicaid recipients and have policy expertise on these matters to give testimony and make recommendations with respect to configuring medicaid, state coverage insurance and state children's health insurance program eligibility and coverage policies, administrative practices and budgetary matters pursuant to the new federal laws; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the human services department be requested to supply its analysis of the new federal laws; 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, the chair and vice chair of the legislative finance committee, the chair of the standing house health and government affairs committee, the chair of the standing house appropriations and finance committee, the chair of the standing senate public affairs committee and the chair of the standing senate finance committee.
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