A JOINT MEMORIAL

REQUESTING THE NEW MEXICO LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TO CREATE AN INTERIM MEDICAID OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE.

WHEREAS, the legislature, recognizing the significant growth in state health care expenditures, created the medicaid reform committee pursuant to Laws 2002, Chapter 96 during the second session of the forty-fifth legislature; and

WHEREAS, the medicaid reform committee's findings and recommendations identified twenty-four program changes, eleven studies, pilots and waiver requests and several other initiatives for the forty-sixth legislature's consideration; and

WHEREAS, the current administration and the legislature have recognized the medicaid reform committee's initiatives as the beginning of needed reforms; and

WHEREAS, the human services department is interested in reviewing or pursuing the medicaid reform committee's initiatives as that department works to restructure the medicaid program; and

WHEREAS, medicaid is a significant part of the health care industry, and the state is chiefly responsible for the administration of the medicaid program within a broad federal framework; and

WHEREAS, medicaid continues to be one of the largest drivers of state budgets nationwide, with health care inflation expected to increase by ten percent or more per year for the foreseeable future; and

WHEREAS, the federal government is considering various options to reform medicare and medicaid that would have significant impacts on the state;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the New Mexico legislative council be requested to create an interim medicaid oversight committee to work with the human services department and other health care related agencies to:

A. review federal proposals for medicaid reform and provide input to the state's congressional delegation on the impact to the state;

B. review the administration's efforts to reform medicaid and control the rate of growth and expenditures;

C. review the status of the initiatives proposed by the medicaid reform committee; and

D. consider the impact of medicaid reform on the health care industry in the state; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the legislative council be requested to appoint to the medicaid oversight committee four members of the house of representatives, four members of the senate, and no advisory or public members; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the medicaid oversight committee develop recommendations by November 30, 2003 to assist the human services department in reforming medicaid, including legislation to restructure the various elements of the medicaid program; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the human services department and the New Mexico legislative council.