Advocates for family and children say budget provides benefits for children

By Susan Dunlap, NM Political Report
Feb. 19, 2024

The legislature passed a budget of $10.2 billion this year. The budget now awaits the governor’s signature.

Some highlights from the budget that will benefit children include an increase in Medicaid reimbursement rates, Bill Jordan, interim co-director and government relations officer for New Mexico Voices for Children, told NM Political Report.

Jordan said increasing the reimbursement rates for Medicaid both encourages more providers to accept Medicaid patients and it also helps to attract more providers to the state.

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said during a press conference held after the legislative session that the budget passed by the legislature contains $100 million for Medicaid.

Jordan said this is of particular importance since nearly half of the state’s population relies on Medicaid. Between 70 to 80 percent of all births in New Mexico are covered by Medicaid, as well.

Read more at the NM Political Report