By Susan Dunlap, NM Political Report
Jan. 17, 2024
During her state of the state address on Tuesday, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham told legislators that one of her legislative priorities is a request for an additional $100 million for the Rural Health Care Delivery Fund.
During the 2023 legislative session, the state allocated $80 million for grants to help healthcare providers expand services in rural communities. The providers had to expand services in counties with fewer than 100,000 individuals living in them.
Lujan Grisham announced the awards last fall and early winter.
As part of her health care package, Lujan Grisham announced additional Medicaid funding. Bill Jordan, interim co-director and government relations officer for New Mexico Voices for Children, told NM Political Report that if Medicaid is not fully funded, providers receive less or providers cut back on medical services or providers cut back on the number of patients served under Medicaid if the program isn’t fully funded.
“Those are three really bad choices,” Jordan said.
Read more in the NM Political Report