N.M. Gov. Grisham Establishes Health Care Affordability Fund, Eliminate Copays for Behavioral Health Services
Targeted News Service (Press Releases)
SANTA FE, New Mexico,
April 9 Gov.
Gov.
Michelle Lujan Grisham on Thursday signed into law Senate Bill 317, establishing the
Health Care Affordability Fund, which is dedicated to reducing the cost of health insurance and medical expenses for working families. The bill also prohibits copays and other cost sharing for people with insurance who seek behavioral health services. The pandemic has highlighted the devastating economic impact of out-of-pocket medical bills that can lead to medical debt, bankruptcy and poor credit for the uninsured. This legislation is an important first step in helping 23,000 uninsured New Mexicans gain access to affordable health insurance, said Gov.
New Mexico Patients’ Debt Collection Practices Act Signed by Governor
The bill includes requirements for medical bill collections from lower-income households and health care providers’ financial assistance policies.
4/7/2021 10:30 AM
AdvocacyNewsStateGovernment
New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed a bill to prevent health care providers from sending medical bills to collections or filing medical debt lawsuits for people whose household income is at or below 200% of the federal poverty level this week. The state’s deadline for the governor to sign legislation is April 9.
The Patients’ Debt Collection Practices Act, sponsored by State Reps. Katy Duhigg, Martin Hickey and Deborah Armstrong, was passed by the New Mexico Senate Health and Public Affairs Committee Feb. 18 and referred to the New Mexico Senate Judiciary Committee, where it passed with a committee substitution.
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Lawmakers push legislation through in special session; governor’s signature awaits By Morgan Lee And Cedar Attanasio Associated Press
Thursday, April 1, 2021 2:12 PM Updated 2 hours 59 minutes ago Tourist Rene Greenmyer takes a picture of her friend Dawn Plonkey, outside the state capitol building on Tuesday in Santa Fe. The Arizona residents happened to pass by the 1999 bronze sculpture “Passage” by Dan Namingha as New Mexico lawmakers met in a special session to revisit a sprawling set of marijuana legalization proposals that led to a deadlock during the regular session earlier in March. Plonkey says she doesn’t use marijuana but voted in favor of a ballot initiative to legalize it in Arizona.
Katy Duhigg (D-Albuquerque), and
Senate Majority Whip Linda Lopez (D-Albuquerque). The bill establishes a 12% excise tax on all cannabis sales and sets guidelines for licensure that prioritize diversity and equal opportunity.
Adult-use cannabis in New Mexico is projected to bring in $318 million in sales and $28.6 million in tax revenue in the first year alone, along with creating more than 11,000 new jobs.
The Senate amendment establishes a restriction that legislators cannot secure a commercial license for three years after the bill is enacted.
“This is a momentous victory for the state that will benefit New Mexicans for generations to come,” said