New Mexicans Want Changes in Healthcare System

Editorial by By Bill Johnson
New Mexico First Implementation Chair

Healthcare matters -- whether you have insurance or you don’t – and how people get medical care affects every one of us. Those without insurance often go without proper medical care, and do not have a regular medical home. Families with insurance are generally pleased with the level of medical care they receive, but they sometimes have difficulty maneuvering their way through the healthcare system.

For the 21% of New Mexicans without insurance, the situation is difficult. While most of these people are part of working families, many simply can’t afford coverage. This is especially the case for working families who might not qualify for government healthcare programs. Being uninsured often means going without preventative healthcare and not having a regular doctor. Treatable problems can become exacerbated by that lack of regular treatment. By the time uninsured people seek care, their medical expenses can be much higher. The cost is often picked up by taxpayers, physicians, and hospitals as “uncompensated care.”

IIndividuals with health coverage take comfort in knowing they have a safety net in case they or their families get sick. However, even they face challenges. Some find the healthcare system difficult to navigate. It can take a long time to see a specialist, and for people outside of Albuquerque, there may not even be a specialist for hundreds of miles. This can be financially difficult for patients from rural areas, who have to incur the cost of travel plus hotel stays.

IIn addition to healthcare affecting individual families, it is a huge issue for businesses. Increasing numbers of employers, especially small companies, cannot afford to insure their employees and their families. Employers that chose to offer insurance are faced with a myriad of complicated decisions, including what types of coverage to offer, how much their employees should pay, and whether to invest in wellness programs.

The company is placed in a bind. If it chooses to offer health insurance, it enters into a complex system that is unpredictable in terms of cost. If the company does not offer benefits, it runs the risk of losing employees to others who do, or facing increased lost time due to illness by the employees and their families.

All of these issues – from coverage for the uninsured to employee wellness initiatives – will be taken up by lawmakers and private sector leaders in the coming months. State legislators will be considering different models for providing health insurance to all New Mexicans. As a state, we need to take the time to evaluate not only these proposals, but the underlying factors that have caused the healthcare system to falter.

What can you do?

Educate yourself on the different healthcare reform proposals.
Call your legislators to let them know what you need from a healthcare system.
Consider attending the upcoming New Mexico First statewide town hall on healthcare reform, which will be held in Albuquerque this spring. Employers, healthcare providers, business people, and consumer advocates will all work together to develop recommendations for making New Mexico healthcare better for everyone.

Bill Johnson is the Implementation Chair for the upcoming New Mexico First town hall on healthcare and is the retired CEO of UNM Hospital and a former Cabinet Secretary, New Mexico Department of Human Services. New Mexico First is a nonpartisan organization co-founded by Senators Pete Domenici and Jeff Bingaman to engage people in public policy.