N.M. deserves right solution for health care

I’ve entered the Roundhouse many times over the years, but last month, I did so for the first time as an elected official and majority whip in the New Mexico state House. I have spent years working side by side with New Mexicans of all backgrounds to create policies that support strong communities. Consistently, I hear from folks across the state that the high cost of health care is a barrier to financial freedom, and that paying for necessary care and medication is one of the greatest anxieties in their family’s lives.

Our state has taken critical steps in recent years to expand health care coverage, but still, over 200,000 of our neighbors (1 in 10 New Mexicans) lack any coverage at all, and more than half forgo necessary care or medication because of the cost. These are dangerous facts, but we can change this reality with new affordable insurance options.

This month, I introduced the Medicaid Forward Act (House Bill 400) with my colleagues, Speaker of the House Javier Martínez, Sen. Siah Correa Hemphill and Sen. Leo Jaramillo. Medicaid Forward will allow residents whose incomes are too high to qualify for Medicaid to instead purchase an affordable plan through the existing comprehensive program. Plans will be priced on a sliding scale based on income so the cost of coverage isn’t an undue burden on anyone looking to access essential care. That means no more sudden dropoff for folks who make too much to qualify for Medicaid and a new affordable plan for hundreds of thousands of working New Mexicans.

To qualify for Medicaid today, an individual must make less than $18,756 annually, and a family of four less than $38,304. In practice, that locks thousands of New Mexicans out of affordable coverage. Someone working even a minimum wage job full time makes too much to be covered by Medicaid, while someone who gets a raise at work can lose insurance entirely. No one should have to fear losing access to health care because they have a chance to bring home a larger paycheck to their family. This simple, innovative solution will ensure New Mexicans have access to affordable insurance they can rely on year after year.

Medicaid Forward would also strengthen New Mexico’s existing Medicaid program. The federal government currently provides roughly 73% of the funding for Medicaid in our state. Medicaid Forward coverage will be funded at the same rate, bringing in significant federal dollars to bolster our current system.

That means more care for all. This influx of funding will allow our state to pay providers more, incentivizing them to work in our state and enabling them to serve more patients covered by Medicaid. When more people are insured and providers are given the support they need, costs come down across our entire healthcare system — making our state healthier and wealthier.

When we have an opportunity to get more people covered, we have a responsibility to take it. Medicaid Forward will save lives by connecting folks to preventative care, supporting the viability of rural hospitals and doctors and opening access to needed procedures and medications. It creates new affordable plans and helps close a coverage gap that has left thousands of our neighbors uninsured, all while bringing in new resources to the state.

Don’t let this bill fly under your radar. If you believe expanding affordable care and cutting costs should be a priority for New Mexico, it’s time to let your legislators know.