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

SPONSOR Komadina

ORIGINAL DATE

LAST UPDATED

1/24/06

HB

SHORT TITLE Birth Defects Registry

SB 50

ANALYST Lewis

APPROPRIATION (dollars in thousands)

Appropriation

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY06

FY07

250.0

Recurring

General Fund

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

Department of Health (DOH)

Health Policy Commission (HPC)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

Senate Bill 50 appropriates $250,000 from the general fund to the Public Health Division of the

Department of Health for expenditure in fiscal year 2007 for the Birth Defects Registry.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

The appropriation of $250,000 contained in this bill is a recurring expense to the general fund.

Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of fiscal year 2007 shall revert

to the general fund.

SIGNIFICANT ISSUES

According to the Department of Health (DOH), approximately 600 infants are born each year in

New Mexico (about 1 out of every 45 births) with a major birth defect that may require addi-

tional health care and services for the child and family to support the child’s growth and devel-

opment. Birth defects are the leading cause of infant mortality, accounting for 26% of infant

deaths in New Mexico (New Mexico Selected Health Statistics Annual Report for 2003,

NMDOH). Since 2000, birth defects have been a reportable condition in New Mexico.

Senate Bill 50 – Page

2

The New Mexico Birth Defects Registry is located in the Public Health Division (PHD) of DOH.

Both PHD and the Epidemiology and Response Division work together to keep this database

populated.

Between 1995 and 2005 the Birth Defects Registry was federally funded by the Center for Dis-

ease Control (CDC). In 2005 the state’s proposal for continued support was approved but was

not funded by the CDC.

There is currently no state or other funding to support this activity. The $250,000 appropriated

by Senate Bill 50 would go to staff to support the registry and possibly to obtain new software to

make the registry more user friendly.

The goals of the birth defects registry are to:

monitor the prevalence of birth defects in the state;

assess the impact of screening and prevention activities; and

link children to necessary services such as early intervention services and case management

for those that have complex medical needs.

The Health Policy Commission (HPC) notes that about 150,000 babies are born annually in this

country with birth defects, and that the direct emotional and health impact on these children pre-

sents their families with a tremendous financial burden. According to the HPC, citing the Birth

Surveillance Report Card reported by the Trust for American Health, New Mexico Birth Defect

Tracking and Prevention includes the following information:

Statewide program tracks birth defects from birth to age 14.

Obtains information when fetal deaths are involved.

Offers birth defects prevention and education services as well as needs assessment for babies

with birth defects.

NM scored a B compared to the rest of the nation.

ML/mt