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New Mexicare
1Department of Medicine, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque.
Archives of Internal Medicine
|August 1, 1991
Summary
New Mexicare offers affordable health insurance for uninsured New Mexico residents, covering primary and preventive care. This plan also reimburses hospitals for inpatient services, creating a sustainable healthcare model.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Health Policy
- Healthcare Economics
Background:
- The State of New Mexico faces challenges in providing healthcare access to its uninsured population.
- Existing healthcare systems may not adequately reimburse hospitals and specialists for all inpatient services.
Purpose of the Study:
- To propose an inexpensive healthcare plan, New Mexicare, for uninsured citizens in New Mexico.
- To outline a mechanism for allocating healthcare resources effectively and incentivizing hospital care.
Main Methods:
- Establishment of a Health Care Trust Fund.
- Integration of New Mexicare within the State Medicaid Division.
- Mandate for employers to provide health insurance with cost-sharing for employees.
Main Results:
- Provides basic, outpatient, primary, and preventive healthcare access.
- Rewards hospitals and affiliated specialists for previously unreimbursed inpatient care.
- Avoids significant fiscal impact on small businesses and complex tax changes.
Conclusions:
- New Mexicare offers an incremental solution to the uninsured problem without substantial administrative or budgetary burdens.
- The plan is a potential model for demographically similar states and can be dissolved if federal universal access is established.