Each year, NMHA's policy priorities are informed by the knowledge, experience and insights of our members and staff, our collaboration with other organizations, and our primary goal of strengthening access to high-quality healthcare across New Mexico. 

The Second Session of New Mexico's 56th Legislature opens on January 16, 2024.  The 30-day session, often referred to as a "short session" or "budget session," will be limited to financial and funding matters and those germane to the governor’s agenda or “call.” NMHA priorities are designed with this in mind, but as always, we are prepared to address hospital-relevant issues as they arise.  

 

Our 2024 Priorities
 

Healthcare Delivery and Access Act (HDAA) 

The Act will help to sustain hospital care across all of New Mexico. It increases the federal Medicaid matching dollars available to the state to support statewide hospital access, workforce and quality and is funded through a hospital assessment. The Act will:Act will help to sustain hospital care across New Mexico:

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• Leverages Medicaid funding to support hospital workforce and quality.

• Use the new opportunity created by the federal government for states to get more federal dollars into their Medicaid programs. This will cover the cost of services to increase access to care.

• Increases federal funding through a hospital provider assessment, while administration of the program is funded by the assessment and NO new general fund dollars are being requested.

• Improves recruitment and retention of providers and staff.

• Improves access to care – especially in rural areas.

• Provides enhanced quality of care to patients.

• Enhances the safety and wellness patients, families and hospital staff.

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Healthcare Workforce Dashboard

With private and public sector partners, develop a dynamic workforce dashboard that provides a meaningful and comprehensive snapshot of current workforce supply and demand, identifying gaps and opportunities and measuring the success of state workforce investments to inform future funding. This new dashboard would go beyond counting licensed personnel, but would also show who is actually practicing in NM, where they are practicing, types and demographics of professionals, where NM healthcare students are in the healthcare education pipeline, and what students do after they graduate. 

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Expendable Healthcare Trust

Establish a trust fund for hospitals and healthcare that will provide for future Medicaid rate stability and investment in local healthcare (e.g. clinical recruitment and retention, infrastructure) across NM by accessing general fund revenue one time for a long-term investment.