Santa Fe New Mexican

Legislature 2009: State tailors health reform to fit budget

Despite a trouncing in this year's legislative sessions, efforts to reform New Mexico's health care system seem to be far from over.

Advocates say they are gearing up to try at least some of their agenda again in the 2009 session, which starts Jan. 20. The main goal is to get health coverage to as many of the 400,000 people without insurance as possible.

And while the efforts likely will be met with the same opponents, there's another challenge to getting any big reform passed next year: the state's budget shortfall.

"We are trying to think about different approaches," said Human Services Department Secretary Pam Hyde.

"I think the issue is how do those relate to the current economic reality."

That reality is a harsh one. The state's fiscal shortfall this year is between $250 million and $500 million, to say nothing of the 2010 budget year.

Still, Hyde and others in the Gov. Bill Richardson administration are looking at what they can do to get more people in the state covered by health insurance.

While Richardson at one point this year sought to cover everyone, next year's efforts right now are starting again with a look at the programs the state currently funds.

"We're just trying to take a look at the fact that we have a bunch of programs funded that we need to use to the max and get the best bang for public buck," Hyde said. She emphasized no decisions on what will or won't be proposed have been made.

Roxane Spruce Bly, the executive director of Health Action New Mexico, said her group has a general plan for the session that includes an independent authority that would oversee the changes the state would make, maximizing currently funded programs and eliminating the barriers that keep people from signing up for Medicaid. "I do think there's going to be a focus on reform," she said.

The group will hold a public meeting next week with key lawmakers to talk about specific proposals.

But the idea might face a tough look from lawmakers, including Senate Minority Leader Stuart Ingle, R-Portales. "I've always thought basically that we better wait to see what the feds do," he said. "We certainly can't afford to add more expenses to state government right now."

While various federal lawmakers have reform plans pending, Bly said the state ought to work on its own plans. "New Mexico is kind of a unique state. We're a majority minority (population), we have significant health disparities, a significant rural population, and I think it's important we make some decisions around reform and do some analysis of our own so when action happens at the national level, we are ready to address our needs and concerns," she said.

Health care was a big topic during the recent presidential election, Bly said, and it hasn't gone away.

"It's definitely on peoples' minds, voters' minds. People are excited about the changing landscape both nationally and locally," she said, referring to changes in leadership in Washington and Santa Fe.

While the state House and Senate will see new faces, the Governor's Office likely will as well. But don't expect too big a change when it comes to health care. Hyde said Lt. Gov. Diane Denish, who would take over should Richardson leave the state, has worked with him on many of his health care proposals in the past.

Richardson called a special session of the Legislature after lawmakers, in the regular session, didn't pass his plan to get health insurance for those without it.

For the special session, the Democratic governor revamped his plan to focus on the 50,000 children with no insurance. In the end, the health care bill that passed covers about 17,000 kids.

Contact Kate Nash at 986-3036 or knash@sfnewmexican.com. Read her blog, Green Chile Chatter, at www.santafenewmexican.com.


JOIN THE DISCUSSION

Health Action New Mexico is holding a public meeting to talk about its legislative priorities related to the upcoming session.

The meeting is at the First Unitarian Church, 3701 Carlisle NE in Albuquerque, from 6 to 8 p.m. Dec. 2. Several lawmakers will also attend.