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A MEMORIAL
REQUESTING THE NEW MEXICO HEALTH POLICY COMMISSION TO CONVENE
A TASK FORCE TO STUDY HEALTH CARE PROVIDER REIMBURSEMENT FOR
HEALTH CARE DELIVERED TO INDIVIDUALS IN THE CUSTODY OF COUNTY
DETENTION FACILITIES.
WHEREAS, county detention facilities provide health
care, including mental health care, to individuals in the
custody of county detention facilities; and
WHEREAS, county detention facilities experience serious
difficulties in obtaining fair rates from health care
providers; and
WHEREAS, the problem of obtaining fair health care
provider rates is exacerbated by the fact that individuals in
custody automatically lose medicaid eligibility upon entry
into the county detention system; and
WHEREAS, the inability of county detention facilities to
secure affordable health care provider rates limits the
ability of county governments to be appropriately accountable
to local taxpayers for these costs; and
WHEREAS, the New Mexico association of counties seeks to
implement policy that would require health care providers
that receive any state taxpayer money to charge county
detention facilities at the same reimbursement rates they
charge for medicaid or any other state program in which the
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providers participate;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE
STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the New Mexico health policy
commission convene a task force consisting of representatives
from the New Mexico association of counties, the department
of health, the human services department, health care
providers who provide care to county detention facility
inmates, the corrections department, the New Mexico medical
society and the New Mexico primary care association; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force be charged
with developing recommendations for health care provider
reimbursement for health care delivered to individuals in
county detention facility custody; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force present
recommendations to the legislative health and human services
committee by November 1, 2008; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be
transmitted to the director of the New Mexico health policy
commission, the president of the New Mexico association of
counties, the chair and vice chair of the 2008 legislative
health and human services committee, the secretary of health,
the secretary of human services, the secretary of corrections,
the president of the New Mexico medical society and the
president of the New Mexico primary care association.