by NM Senators Brandt, Block, Thornton, Tobiassen, and Woods
First Aid teaches us in an emergency to apply direct, firm pressure to stop the bleeding. Well, New Mexico is bleeding doctors, and it’s time we apply some direct, firm pressure.
In fact, our state is the only state which lost doctors between 2019 and 2024, and 32 of our 33 counties are now designated as “Health Professional Shortage Areas.” If you’ve struggled to find a Primary Care Physician, had to wait months for an appointment with your provider, or grew frustrated by the lack of specialty care, you know firsthand how dire the situation is.
What contributes to these statistics? There are several reasons—the failure of New Mexico to join the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact, the requirement that many healthcare services are subject to our state’s Gross Receipts Taxes, and perhaps most damaging, the increasingly high cost of medical malpractice insurance.
This last point is especially chilling. Indeed, the American Medical Association reports that New Mexico had the second-largest increase in malpractice insurance premiums in the U.S. from 2021 to 2022 and ranks second in the nation for the number of medical malpractice lawsuits per capita.
Recent NM court judgments of $23 Million, $68 Million, and even $412 Million have certainly paid off for the trial attorneys but have caused doctors to flee our state, leaving our residents without adequate access to health care.
Fortunately, some firm, direct pressure is already being applied. The Governor recently convened leaders on this issue to start the conversation. Advocates have also been shining a light on the growing problem. And Senate Republicans have now scheduled a task force meeting in Rio Rancho on Monday, September 29, to hear directly from patients, doctors, and hospitals with the goal of identifying possible solutions.
If interested, we encourage fellow New Mexicans to please visit NMSenateGOP.com or check out our official social media pages to learn more or stream the task force live.
With a little luck—and your help—we can stop the bleeding before it’s too late.