A bill to give the state a say in hospital acquisitions passed the Senate on Friday afternoon. Proponents argue this will help keep rural hospitals in business.
The would give the Office of the Superintendent of Insurance and the Health Care Authority Department a say in hospital acquisitions.
The parties involved would have to submit information about the acquisition to those departments, including a description of the people who would likely be affected by it.
The bill is sponsored by Senator Katy Duhigg (D-Albuquerque). Fellow Senator George Mu帽oz (D-Gallup) supported the bill, saying it would protect rural hospitals from predatory practices.
鈥淭hese corporations move into New Mexico, they're not moving in to save rural hospitals. They're moving in to increase their profit margins,鈥� he said. 鈥淲here is the easiest prey? And the most money I can make in the corporate world?鈥�
Hospital acquisitions in recent years have often led to and made some hospitals more vulnerable to closing.
There have been almost of rural hospitals in the last 20 years across the U.S.
New Mexico Hospital Association President Troy Clark told the Legislative Finance Committee at an interim hearing in September that over two thirds of the state鈥檚 hospitals saw expenses exceed revenues over the last year.
UPDATE: This bill passed in the House on Tuesday, February 13th in a 47-20 vote.
This coverage is made possible by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and 九色网 listeners.
