House Memorial 31 requests the New Mexico Health Care Authority to reevaluate its administrative rules regarding home health service distance limitations. Currently, these rules restrict home health agencies from serving patients who live more than one hundred miles from the agency's licensed location. This limitation poses challenges for agencies operating in rural, frontier, and tribal communities, where geographic isolation and workforce shortages already hinder access to necessary health care services. The memorial highlights the anticipated increase in demand for home health services due to the reauthorization of the federal Radiation Exposure Compensation Act, particularly among uranium miners and millers residing in remote areas.

The resolution calls for a reassessment of the distance-based limitations to enhance access to home health services for underserved populations, including those affected by radiation exposure. It suggests that aligning the rules governing home health services with the more flexible personal care services program could improve consistency across health care programs while ensuring quality oversight. The memorial concludes by directing that copies be sent to relevant state officials, including the secretary of the health care authority and the governor.