0001|                       SENATE JOINT MEMORIAL 9
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0002|     43RD LEGISLATURE - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - SECOND SESSION, 1998
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0003|                            INTRODUCED BY
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0004|                             DEDE FELDMAN
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0005|     
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0006|                                   
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0007|     
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0008|             FOR THE HEALTH AND WELFARE REFORM COMMITTEE
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0009|     
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0010|                           A JOINT MEMORIAL
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0011|     REQUESTING THE HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT TO DETERMINE THE BEST
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0012|     METHOD OF FINANCING HIGH-RISK PATIENT TREATMENT AT THE
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0013|     UNIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO HEALTH SCIENCES CENTER, INCLUDING THE
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0014|     ADEQUACY OF REIMBURSEMENT UNDER SALUD.
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0015|     
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0016|          WHEREAS, the university of New Mexico health sciences
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0017|     center is the provider of last resort to certain high-risk
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0018|     patients and cannot limit that care; and
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0019|          WHEREAS, the implementation of medicaid managed care
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0020|     appears to be negatively affecting both those patients and the
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0021|     mission of the health sciences center; and
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0022|          WHEREAS, seventy-five percent of medicaid SALUD patients
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0023|     are enrolled in managed care organizations that are relying
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0024|     mainly on other health care providers for primary care
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0025|     services and on the health sciences center only for certain
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0001|     tertiary services; and
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0002|          WHEREAS, medicaid payments are not adequately adjusted to
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0003|     reflect the acuity and complexity of many patients served by
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0004|     the health sciences center, particularly behavioral health
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0005|     patients; and
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0006|          WHEREAS, the implementation of SALUD has resulted in
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0007|     greater administrative burdens, less automation, delayed
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0008|     receipt of payments and the need for physicians to be familiar
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0009|     with multiple administrative systems; and
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0010|          WHEREAS, without adequate financing or an increased
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0011|     number of patients who do not require intensive services, the
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0012|     mission of the health sciences center will, in the long run,
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0013|     be compromised;
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0014|          NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE
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0015|     STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the human services department be
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0016|     requested to study and determine the best method of financing
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0017|     high-risk patients treated by the university of New Mexico
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0018|     health sciences center, including the adequacy of
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0019|     reimbursement under SALUD; and
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0020|          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this analysis include
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0021|     consideration of adjustments in reimbursement to the health
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0022|     sciences center if the data indicate that the current SALUD
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0023|     reimbursement does not cover the cost of caring for these
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0024|     patients; and
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0025|          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this memorial be
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0001|     sent to the secretary of human services.
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0002|                               
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