Healthcare Benefits from special session

The League of Women Voters of Southern New Mexico believes the U.S. healthcare system should provide all U.S. residents with a basic level of quality healthcare at an affordable cost. To that end, the League, at the local, state, and national levels, has lobbied for healthcare policy solutions, including the Affordable Care Act, to control costs and ensure basic care for all.

Therefore, we were pleased to see that the recent special legislative session called by Governor Lujan Grisham has resulted in the passage of four bills related to healthcare to help address draconian federal budget cuts:

·       House Bill 1 supports the health and wellbeing of New Mexicans by allocating funding for SNAP and food banks. SNAP is a lifeline for about 20% of the state’s population, with more than 459,000 people in New Mexico enrolled in the program. Senator Heinrich has noted that federal cuts will reduce SNAP benefits for New Mexico by over 40%.

·       House Bill 2 protects an estimated 6,300 residents who would otherwise experience substantial increases in insurance premiums.

·       Senate Bill 1 allocates $50 million to support rural healthcare in New Mexico, including tribally operated healthcare facilities.

·       Senate Bill 3 makes vaccines recommended for children more accessible, without making them mandatory.

 Although some legislators argued federal budget cuts that won’t take effect immediately did not need to be addressed in a special session, we disagree. 

 Allocating funds for the health of New Mexicans now, rather than waiting, ensures reserve funds will be restricted for that purpose. It also signals that New Mexico is committed to protecting its residents from federal safety net cuts. That reassurance can help reduce stress for individuals who are at risk because of those cuts. And as the Center for Disease Control notes on its website, “chronic stress can lead to worsening health problems.”

 The League was disappointed, however, that other critical healthcare-related issues, such as reforming medical malpractice and adopting Interstate Medical Licensure Compacts for healthcare providers, were not addressed and passed in the special session.  While both issues are crucial, the failure to pass the Interstate Compacts is particularly troublesome.

Although Sen. Wirth and Sen. Stewart have promised the Compacts will be enacted during the January session, there is a November deadline for federal grants to help rural healthcare providers offset the federal budget cuts. The 43 states that belong to the Compacts will earn more points than New Mexico on that criterion, reducing the likelihood New Mexico will win those federal grants. 

Overall, we applaud the governor and legislators for passing the four bills mentioned above. 

By responding quickly and vigorously, they have helped protect New Mexicans from major federal funding cuts.

Lynda St. Clair is a member of the League of Women Voters of Southern New Mexico. She earned a PhD from the University of Michigan and taught management and leadership course for 15 years at Bryant University in Rhode Island before retiring to Las Cruces.  She loves libraries, learning, and liberty.