SENATE FLOOR SUBSTITUTE FOR

SENATE TAX, BUSINESS AND TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE

FOR SENATE BILL 146

56th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2024

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

AN ACT

RELATING TO HOSPITALS; ENACTING A NEW SECTION OF THE HOSPITAL FUNDING ACT TO PROVIDE AFFORDABLE PAYMENT PLANS TO PATIENTS UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES.

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

     SECTION 1. A new section of the Hospital Funding Act is enacted to read:

     "[NEW MATERIAL] COUNTY HOSPITALS AND CONTRACTING HOSPITALS--PAYMENT PLANS REQUIRED UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES.--

          A. A county hospital or contracting hospital shall provide a patient with immediate treatment and an affordable payment plan if the county hospital or contracting hospital is the only provider of care in the county where the patient resides for a life-threatening condition, including cancer, that places the patient's health in serious jeopardy, causes serious impairment to bodily function or causes serious dysfunction of any bodily organ as validated by the hospital under the following circumstances:

                (1) the patient's health insurance plan is not accepted by the county hospital or contracting hospital;

                (2) the patient is uninsured;

                (3) the patient is ineligible for county indigent programs; or

                (4) the patient is ineligible for the New Mexico medical insurance pool.

          B. In cases of life-threatening conditions, a county hospital or contracting hospital shall provide the patient with immediate treatment and an affordable payment plan until the effective date of coverage by a county indigent program or the New Mexico medical insurance pool."

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