SENATE BILL

57th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2026

INTRODUCED BY

Craig W. Brandt

 

 

 

 

 

AN ACT

RELATING TO PUBLIC HEALTH; CREATING THE OPIOID ADDICTION PREVENTION PILOT PROJECT TO IMPROVE POST-SURGICAL PAIN MANAGEMENT AND REDUCE UNNECESSARY OPIOID PRESCRIBING; REQUIRING NURSE NAVIGATION AND CLINICAL SUPPORT FOR PATIENTS AND PROVIDERS; MAKING AN APPROPRIATION; DECLARING AN EMERGENCY.

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

     SECTION 1. [NEW MATERIAL] OPIOID ADDICTION PREVENTION PILOT PROJECT--CONTRACTING--REPORTING.--

          A. As used in this section, "nurse navigation" means a clinically led service that is compliant with the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 and that provides personalized pain management coaching, follow-up support and education on proper medication use and potential risks in multiple languages.

          B. The department of health shall create a five- year "opioid addiction prevention pilot project" to study ways to use nurse navigation to prevent opioid misuse, addiction, overdoses and poisonings related to surgery and other health care procedures.

          C. The department of health shall contract with a third party to design and implement the project. To ensure clinical efficacy and immediate scalability, the selected contractor shall demonstrate a proven track record in:

                (1) providing nurse navigation for patients before and after surgical procedures, with a focus on optimized pain management with less opioid use;

                (2) delivering direct clinical implementation support and reporting to health care professionals and facilities to improve pain management and reduce prescription opioids;

                (3) supporting efforts to prevent opioid overprescribing and ensure appropriate prescribing and dispensing of opioids;

                (4) deploying a sustainable, innovative evidence-based model, with one or more peer-reviewed publications, focused on the surgical episode of care with programs funded by opioid settlements in a minimum of five other states; and

                (5) delivering various items and methodologies directly to patients designed to help patients experience less pain and fewer complications and reduced reliance on opioids post-surgery.

          D. Beginning in fiscal year 2027 and through fiscal year 2031, the department of health shall provide an annual report to the legislative finance committee and the legislative health and human services committee on the project's success, including the number of surgical cases covered, the total volume of opioid pills avoided through improved pain management protocols and performance measures related to the prevention of opioid misuse and addiction.

     SECTION 2. APPROPRIATION.--Nine million dollars ($9,000,000) is appropriated from the opioid crisis recovery fund to the department of health for expenditure in fiscal years 2026 through 2031 to carry out the purposes of Section 1 of this act. Any unexpended balance remaining at the end of fiscal year 2031 shall revert to the opioid crisis recovery fund.

     SECTION 3. EMERGENCY.--It is necessary for the public peace, health and safety that this act take effect immediately.

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