HOUSE MEMORIAL 14

53rd legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2018

INTRODUCED BY

Deborah A. Armstrong

A MEMORIAL

REQUESTING THE NEW MEXICO PEDIATRIC SOCIETY TO CONVENE A "PEDIATRIC SPECIALTY CARE TASK FORCE" TO EXAMINE THE AVAILABILITY OF PEDIATRIC SPECIALTY SERVICES IN THE STATE AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IMPROVING THE SYSTEM OF MEDICAL CARE FOR CHILDREN IN NEW MEXICO TO ENSURE THAT THEY HAVE ACCESS TO CARE THAT IS INTEGRATED, EQUITABLE, EFFICIENT, COST-EFFECTIVE AND FAMILY-CENTERED.

     WHEREAS, the United States health resources and services administration, also known as "HRSA", reports that New Mexico has more than seventy thousand children with special health care needs; and

     WHEREAS, specialty care for children in New Mexico is currently fragmented between two large systems, and pediatric specialists are difficult to recruit and retain; and

     WHEREAS, the pediatric specialists are located almost exclusively in Albuquerque and as such are not accessible to the entire pediatric population of the state; and

     WHEREAS, those pediatric specialists that practice in Albuquerque are found almost exclusively at the university of New Mexico hospital or Presbyterian hospital; and

     WHEREAS, fifty-three percent of children in New Mexico are covered by medicaid or the children's health insurance program, also known as "CHIP", and two of the four managed care organizations currently providing services to medicaid and CHIP recipients are not contracted with the university of New Mexico children's hospital; and

     WHEREAS, the children of New Mexico deserve equal access to needed medical treatment regardless of their age, race, ethnicity, location, socioeconomic status or health coverage status;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the New Mexico pediatric society be requested to convene a "pediatric specialty care task force" to examine the availability of pediatric specialty services in the state and make recommendations for improving the system of medical care for children in New Mexico to ensure that care is integrated, equitable, efficient, cost-effective and family-centered; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the pediatric specialty care task force be requested to establish as its goals the following: improving health outcomes for children; improving patient and family satisfaction with their medical care; and making best use of the resources available in New Mexico in a cost-effective manner; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the New Mexico pediatric society be requested to invite representatives of the following entities to join the pediatric specialty care task force: the human services department; the department of health; the New Mexico legislature; the university of New Mexico children's hospital; Presbyterian hospital; New Mexico families; medicaid managed care organizations; and others as the New Mexico pediatric society deems appropriate; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the pediatric specialty care task force be requested to report its findings and recommendations to the legislative health and human services committee and the legislative finance committee by December 1, 2018; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the chair and vice chair of the legislative health and human services committee, the secretary of health, the secretary of human services, the executive director of the New Mexico pediatric society, the chancellor for health sciences of the university of New Mexico and the chief executive officer of Presbyterian healthcare services.