New Mexico would fund reviews of proposed health insurance requirements

The Legislative Finance Committee would hire at least one experienced contractor to estimate the effects of eligible health insurance proposals. Eligible proposals would require insurers to cover care, follow benefit or patient payment rules, or meet rules for contracts with providers. Covered insurers would include Medicaid managed care organizations. Hiring contractors would depend on funding. Each lawmaker could request one review yearly. Each chamber's majority and minority parties could receive up to two reviews per regular session; their leaders would choose when requests exceed those limits. Proposals changing what licensed health professionals may do or making state law match federal law would not qualify. Contractors would have to be hired on or before September 1, 2026. Review requests would have to reach the committee by October 1 of a given year.

Contractors would estimate proposals' effects, and the Legislative Finance Committee would publish the results on the legislature's website. Reviews would estimate how many residents are affected, changes in care use and health benefits, insurance premiums and patient costs, and spending by state health programs. Reviews would check supporting medical evidence and whether proposed coverage is or could be available without the legislation. Reviews would assess social and economic effects where practical. When a review needs health data, it would use data collected under the Health Information System Act whenever practical. The committee would prepare and publish the report no later than January 1 each year.

The proposal would set aside $100,000 from the state's general fund for the Legislative Finance Committee to hire reviewers. The money would pay contractors to review proposals that may change health insurance coverage requirements. Any money left at the end of fiscal year 2027 would return to the general fund. The money would be available for spending in fiscal year 2027.