The state is set to do more research into ensuring broader healthcare coverage in New Mexico. The state approved nearly $800,000 in the recent legislative session to study how a proposed law would change healthcare coverage and costs. Officials must now prioritize which areas to research.
The goals of the Health Security Act are to “ensure health care coverage to all New Mexicans, control escalating health care costs and improve the health care of everyone.”
One person who welcomes this is Mary Feldblum, who heads the Health Security Plan , a coalition of statewide and local organizations trying to guarantee affordable healthcare coverage.
"Since the early 90s, there's been lots of questions about the way we structure our health coverage in the United States. And what we're saying in New Mexico is we need a different model," she said.
The Office of the Superintendent of Insurance will decide exactly how to spend the money. Feldblum thinks the priorities should include things like who can enroll for health coverage and how and prescription drug cost control. Plus, she advocated for hospitals to examine more predictable Global Budgets so public health services can be more stable.
For Feldblum, "That's the paradigm shift … “Can New Mexico create its own health plan? What would it look like?”
She said the research process, which would include people working in all aspects of healthcare, could ultimately be a national example.
