HealthSOLUTIONS New Mexico Plan Introduced

Governor Bill Richardson's HealthSOLUTIONS New Mexico Plan has been introduced in the House of Representatives.

House Bill 62, sponsored by Rep. John Heaton, is a plan for reaching universal health coverage for every New Mexican. Speaker Ben Lujan and Majority Leader Ken Martinez also signed on to the bill.

HB 62 covers three of the four components that make up the HealthSOLUTIONS New Mexico Plan:

• Insurance Reform, which will make coverage more affordable and accessible
• Coverage Mechanisms and Participation, which will assure everyone has coverage
• Health Coverage Authority, which will reduce bureaucracy and create a single point of accountability

The fourth component of the Governor's Plan is included in HB 37, sponsored by Rep. Peter Wirth. This legislation will help control costs and increase quality through Electronic Medical Records.