Curry officials approve Medicaid resolution

Curry County officials said Tuesday they want to send a clear message to legislators in Santa Fe with regard to counties being mandated to help fund the state's Medicaid program.

Commissioners voted unanimously (5-0) to approve Resolution 2017-14, which opposes "any increased burden on the counties in New Mexico to fund" the state effort.

"This bill (House Bill 490) will have a negative impact on all counties funding levels and would result, if passed, in a reduction in services to county residents," County Manager Lance Pyle said. "The fiscal impact of House Bill 490 requiring counties to pay an additional amount into Medicaid is over $600,000 per year to the county."

While presenting the resolution Pyle provided some background.

"In the '90s the County Commission had to enact an ordinance, which was a tax associated with it to fund the first one-sixteenth of Medicaid," he said. "In 2014 the county received a state mandate to fund the Safety Net Care pool. As a result of that, we've had to restructure and the commission had to impose two tax increases. Part of that tax increase offsets this cost to Safety Net Care."

Pyle said the resolution opposes any legislation that would further shift federal and state costs to the county while also supporting legislation requiring local hospitals and health care providers to accept any funds paid or transferred to them from state Medicaid or the state Safety Net Care pool program to cover all their costs, expenses or billings for providing care to the indigent population of Curry County.

Officials said a hearing on the bill is expected Thursday. Commission Vice Chair Angelina Baca implored other commissioners to communicate opposition to the bill.

"I made two phone calls this (Tuesday) morning," she said. "And encourage everyone on this board to do the same. Some of the smaller counties are going to be devastated. I just don't see the reasoning."