SANTA FE – Today, the New Mexico House of Representatives passed Senate Bill 17, the Health Care Delivery and Access Act, with a vote of 59-1 and Senate Bill 15, the Health Care Consolidation Oversight Act, with a vote of 47-20. Both bills now head to the governor’s desk for her signature.

“New Mexicans deserve affordable access to healthcare,” said Gov. Lujan Grisham. “These bills will improve healthcare accessibility and quality through leveraging billions of additional dollars and strengthening oversight.”

Senate Bill 17 establishes the Healthcare Delivery and Access Medicaid-Directed Payment Program for hospitals, which will leverage federal Medicaid matching funds of approximately $1.3 billion. The bill will increase financial stability for hospitals across the state and will favor New Mexico’s rural hospitals, several of which are at risk of imminent closure. Hospitals must meet quality of care metrics before receiving full funding. In addition, the bill requires that 75% of the funds paid are reinvested in health care services in the state of New Mexico.

Senate Bill 15 gives the Office of Superintendent authority to review business transactions for hospitals that might affect the availability, affordability, and quality of hospital care for New Mexicans. It ensures a basic level of oversight is in place to review mergers, acquisitions, and other changes in the ownership of hospitals.