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F I S C A L I M P A C T R E P O R T

SPONSOR Gerald P. Ortiz y Pino DATE TYPED 01/24/05 HB

SHORT TITLE UNM Special Perinatal Program

SB 107

ANALYST Woods

APPROPRIATION

Appropriation Contained Estimated Additional Impact Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY05

FY06

FY05

FY06

$319.0

Recurring

General

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

Relates to the appropriation for the University of New Mexico in the General Appropriations

Act.

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

New Mexico Department of Health

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

Senate Bill 107, Making An Appropriation To The University of New Mexico To Expand The

Special Perinatal Program, appropriates $319 thousand from the general fund to University of

New Mexico (UNM) Board of Regents to expand the Health Sciences Center’s perinatal pro-

gram. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of FY06 shall revert to

the general fund.

Significant Issues

The UNM Health Sciences Center indicates the Specialized Perinatal Care Program is a state-

wide initiative to ensure that complicated pregnancies can be addressed with the most up-to-date

obstetrical technology and expertise. The program was originally established in 1982 and is

Senate Bill 107 -- Page 2

comprised of five general components:

•

A woman’s inpatient unit, outpatient clinics, and substance abuse programs

•

Over twenty perinatal outreach clinics operated monthly in thirteen statewide venues

•

A maternal transport and obstetric referral system

•

Ultrasound, genetics and fetal therapy applications

•

Educational outreach and training progams

The Department of Health (DOH) observes that perinatal care saves from $2 to $3.60 in inten-

sive care for newborns for every dollar spent. The savings are considerably larger when the care

is for high-risk patients such as those seen in this program’s clinics.

PERFORMANCE IMPLICATIONS

DOH notes that SB107 would support the Department of Health’s Strategic Plan, Program Area

1: Prevention and Disease Control with the strategic direction of “Improving the Health of New

Mexicans.”

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

The appropriation of $319 thousand contained in this bill is a recurring expense to the general

fund. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of FY06 shall revert to the

general fund.

ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS

The UNM Health Sciences Center would be the pass-through agency for this appropriation and

would retain oversight of the program

OTHER SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES

A $319 thousand increase in UNM Health Science Center’s Special Perinatal Care Program was

included UNM’s FY06 funding request to the Commission on Higher Education (CHE). How-

ever, this increase was not included in the CHE’s FY06 budget recommendations that provided

the Perinatal Care Program a 3.7% funding increase, therein raising the CHE recommendation

from $442.3 thousand in FY05 to $458.7 thousand in FY06.

WHAT WILL BE THE CONSEQUENCES OF NOT ENACTING THIS BILL.

DOH suggests that if program expansion is not funded, proposed improvements may not be

made possibly affecting maternal and infant mortality and morbidity.

BFW/lg