New Mexico State Senator Dede Feldman's Blog

Urgent: Contact Governor to Sign MY Two Health Care Reform Bills

Two of the only health care reform bills to pass the legislature are now on the Governor's desk-awaiting either his signature-- or veto by March 5.  The bills, which I sponsored, focus on health insurance reform (Senate Bill 226) and the creation of a "Healthy New Mexico" task force to confront the primary cost drivers in the system-chronic diseases (Senate Bill 129).

Call the Governor's Office at 505- 476-2200, write him at Gov. Bill Richardson, Office of the Governor, 490 Old Santa Fe Trail, Room 400, State Capitol Building, Santa Fe, NM 87501, fax him at 505-476-2226   or e-mail him through the Governor's web site ate www.governor.state.nm.us.

SB 226,  "Insurance Defense & Maximum Coverage," gives a little more edge to consumers vis a vis health insurance companies by making it harder for the companies to reject applicants with pre-existing conditions because the waiting period had elapsed, or the consumer made an inadvertent mistake on his or her application.  Under the new law applicants must be deliberately fraudulent in order to get turned down.  The bill also increases the maximum amount of yearly coverage permitted by the companies for some policies from $50,000 to $100,000.  Feldman worked with the Public Regulation Commission and the companies on this one. 

SB 129, the Healthy New Mexico Task Force, will mobilize the state against chronic diseases like diabetes, asthma and obesity through a coordinated plan for prevention, case management, and primary care.  Vermont started a plan several years ago like this called the Vermont Blueprint for Health" and they are making progress with some very inexpensive, common sense steps, while cutting health care costs.  $50,000 for this purpose is already included in the "Junior" budget bill.

The Governor is also holding office hours on Thursday Feb. 21 from 2-5 for ordinary citizens to voice their opinions on these and other bills. Any help you can give is greatly appreciated.

Last Thursday Morning Live at the NM State Senate: This Is Why Our Sessions Should be Web Cast

Thursday was the last day of the NM Senate, and the drama unfolding on the floor was proof positive that Sen. Mark Boitano's memorial to have sessions web cast live over the internet should go into effect immediately.  Boitano himself (who was absent that day) could have tuned in to see the departure of two of the Senate's most interesting characters, Joe Carraro and John Grubesic, a filibuster mounted by the environmentalists, and, finally, two of the Democratic leaders break down in tears just after the session went "sine die."  But that was only after the Senate passed a slew of controversial bills in rapid succession, including a cap on campaign contributions and an independent agency for public defenders.   

The environmental community aimed the filibuster, organized by Sen. Cisco McSorley, at killing two bills opposed.  One was sponsored by Sen. David Ulibarri, a new Senator from the Grants area appointed upon the resignation of Sen. Joe Fidel last year.  The bill would have cleaned up abandoned mines from the last boom, but only at the expense of bringing in new uranium operations, which would then pay the cost of the clean up with a relatively small fee on their production.   The bill passed at the very last minute on "concurrence"  (which is when the Senate verbally approves amendments made to it in the House).  Not so for the other bill opposed by conservationists and fiscal conservatives-the "TIDDs" bill for SunCal on the West Side.  The bill would have meant the shift of about $650 million in tax revenue to the huge development over the next 10 years to pay for infrastructure usually paid for by the developers themselves. Sun Cal had hired about 11 lobbyists to work this one, but the FIR, or the "Fiscal Impact Statement", was over 12 pages long.  This gave me enough concern to join in the filibuster myself.  I was just a relief pitcher, though, and was soon replaced by Sen. John Grubesic and then, Sen. Cynthia Nava, who read an impassioned statement about how disappointed she was in the session.  She said that the Senate Finance Committee had not even heard the bill to change the public school funding formula, which she and others had worked on for years, and she feared that, as a result, the state was subject to a lawsuit.   

Her disappointment echoed my own.  The Finance Committee also did not hear the Governor's health care bill, and refused to release a bill for a Health Care Authority, something that Rep. Danice Picraux and I had constructed as a Plan B, in case all else failed  (which it certainly did).  And, far from addressing universal coverage, the legislature actually reduced anticipated funding of Medicaid by $10 million, leaving thousands of eligible kids without medical care and over $30 million in federal funds on the table.

As the floor and the gallery began to overflow with family, friends and staff, Sen. Michael Sanchez officially gaveled the session to a close.  Thereafter, a series of awards were given to the departing senators and, surprise, to Sen. McSorley, who half-seriously remarked that "the vote on this award" must have been taken before his actions on closing day. For the final close, President Pro-Tempore Tim Jennings, with his young son Zeph at his side, extolled the virtues of the Senate  (which had earlier been called a "dysfunctional family" by departing Grubesic) --its independence, dignity, even handedness, and ability to represent the people better than any other branch of government.  As he began to break down with exhaustion, pride, and sadness, he praised the Majority Leader-Sen. Sanchez-- to whom he then handed the mike.  It was then Sen. Sanchez's turn to get emotional, as he recalled former Sen. Manny Aragon's tears on closing days of yore.

Also ...The 100th Bill Party

Every year there's a giant party for staff and legislators at the session called the 100th bill party, hosted by the lucky legislators who sponsored the 100th bill introduced in the Senate and the House.  Well, this year, I got caught, sponsoring the 100th bill in the Senate (it was to extend the solar tax credit-and did not pass) with Rep. Ken Martinez's number up in the House.  The party was a great feed on the last Friday night of the session, with music provided by the very popular Daren Cordova, and his family.  It was great, especially for the staff, who provide countless hours of service during the session doing everything from printing bills, keeping the official journal to emptying waste baskets and cleaning the bathrooms.  I'm usually too exhausted to party during the last week of the session, but my goal this time, since I was the hostess, was to dance with my janitor of ten years-- Eddie Lopez (no, not that Eddie Lopez) and discreetly, leave early.  Well, imagine my surprise when I got to La Fonda, surveyed the dance floor, only to see that Eddie, now wearing a big black cowboy hat, was the best dancer on the floor! Hmmm, this could be tricky. And I thought I was going to be doing him a favor.  Darn-I should have continued that UNM Community College class in County Western Dancing. While I was thinking of what to do, Eddie came over and asked me to dance. All I can say is that it was an aerobic activity, and a well-earned lesson in humility.

"Short" session of the 2008 legislature coming to a close

Dear Friends, Neighbors and Constituents

With only four days to go, the "short" session of the 2008 legislature is getting shorter by the minute.  We've accomplished our main task, which is coming up with a budget for state services and capital improvements around the state. The budget weighs in at $6 billion-a 6.5% increase in spending. This year we had far less money to work with, and although budget makers did their best, I am disappointed with the plan that we sent to the governor the other day.

Salary increases for public school teachers, college faculty, and state employees averaged only 2%, with a small "bump" for educational assistants to 3%-- some of the most underpaid personnel in our schools.  Medicaid, the federal/state program which provides health insurance for low-income people got far less ($10 million) than expected-in this year of health care reform.  This means that we'll loose the anticipated federal funds to provide nearly 10,000 more children with medical services.

As Chairperson of the Senate Public Affairs Committee, I have been very busy with all the different health care proposals, as well as some controversial issues like domestic partners and stem cell research, which have drawn overflow crowds. While the measure to allow stem cell research is still alive in the House, it appears that the bill giving domestic partners equal civil rights as married couples has failed.

The verdict is still out on the Governor's proposal to set up a hybrid public-private system to take us to universal health care.  As the clock ticks, the "Health Solutions" bill is still bogged down in the House.  In case it doesn't make it through the session, I have sponsored a measure to create a Health Care Authority (Senate Bill 225) composed of businesses, doctors, and health policy experts to come back to the legislature next year with a comprehensive plan for accessible, affordable health care. I'm not giving up on universal health care.  I'll be fighting for it as long as I'm here.

Meanwhile, one insurance reform measure I sponsored (SB 226), which will give consumers a little more leverage vis a vis insurance companies, seems poised to pass the House today.  But it is "small potatoes" compared to the kind of health insurance reform you said you wanted-- to curb discrimination against pre-existing conditions, and address rising premiums.

I am happy to report that my bill to create a task force to mobilize New Mexico against chronic diseases like diabetes, obesity, asthma, and others has fared well.  I have been able to include $50,000 to get this off the ground next year in one of the budget bills, and I am hopeful that it will not be vetoed.  Wellness, prevention and disease management is a MUST if we are to cut costs (and heartbreaks) in the medical area.  This was one of your priorities on the questionnaire; so, if you still feel that way, encourage the Governor to not veto Senator Feldman's funds for this purpose.

Unfortunately, ethics and campaign finance reform has taken a back seat this session.  The voluntary public financing bill has died in the House for lack of funds.  The ethics commission is stalled there as well, and a bill to limit campaign contributions is making slow progress through the Senate.

Back on the home front, I have been successful in inserting funds for local schools, libraries, open space, sidewalks and other neighborhood improvements in the capital outlay budget, and I am optimistic that the Governor will sign the bill, since we got it up to him in time to override any vetoes.

Thanks again to those of you who wrote, called, visited or e-mailed me during the session. Most of all thanks to those who completed my survey and sent additional comments.  I'm listening. I hope some of you get a chance to check out my blog at http://senatorfeldman.typepad.com where I'll be posting additional comments at the end of the session. Check out my website, too at www.dedefeldman.com where you can sign up for my electronic newsletter, if you have a connection.

Thanks again for the opportunity to serve you.  I appreciate your continued confidence and promise to continue to work hard for you.

Respectfully,
State Senator, District 13   

A Break in the Action before the Final Push… Early Warnings on Health Care, Special Session

I'm back home for a day off today before the big endgame in the legislature.  Here's what's happening as of Feb. 3.  The House has sent the budget over to the Senate, with several big omissions.  In spite of all the talk about moving to universal health care, the proposed budget doesn't even hold the line on Medicaid funding.  The federal-state program is $10 million short just to retain its present enrollment.  This could mean that, rather than adding 9,000 new children to the rolls, as the administration has proposed in "Health Solutions", we end up dropping 10,000.  Wow.  That's significant. Remember, the federal government pays 75% of the cost of covering these kids in New Mexico.  We'd give that up, though, to save $10 million.
 
If there was one thing that everyone on all the health task forces that I've served on in my 12 years here seemed to agree upon was that we should be maximizing the federal match. I've asked the Senate Finance Committee to restore the funding, but I'm not optimistic.  There's a basic level of mistrust between the finance guys in the legislature and the human services department on the Medicaid projections.  Not a good sign.

The other thing that everyone seems to agree on is that we need to focus on retaining and recruiting doctors, nurses and other health care professionals in New Mexico-especially, if more people are to have coverage.  But the House did not fund the request for about $1.5 million for that purpose, as the Governor had proposed. I've got a bill for $1.8 million for this purpose that I'll continue pushing for in the Senate Finance Committee… but it's frustrating, particularly when I've been listening for six moths now to opponents of health care reform who basically say we can't expand coverage at all because we don't have the providers.  Oh well, as the say, "Gusty Winds May Exist."

Meanwhile, the big enchilada, the "Health Solutions" bill has been amended to exclude any mandates for coverage either from employers or individuals, and has been referred to another committee.  It's now unclear whether it will survive the House - widely seen by proponents as the better bet.

This kind of gridlock may be typical for this stage of any session, and I remain optimistic on that count, but I wouldn't be too surprised to start hearing calls for a special session from the fourth floor this week.
 
On a more optimistic note, I was pleased to pass my SB 129 through the Senate, which calls for a mass mobilization against chronic diseases in New Mexico, starting with a task force to come up with a strategic plan to manage these diseases.  This will help cut our health care costs in the long run, through a common sense approach.  You can call the house committees to which it is referred in support, if you have a minute.  You can track this, and other bills, through the legislative web site at www.nmlegis.gov.

Obama mania hit Santa Fe on Friday, and I was part of history, getting stuck in the largest traffic jam to ever hit the City Different, and joining the huge crowd to hear Obama speak at the Santa Fe Community College. The logistics weren't so great, but Obama's performance was masterful.  The atmosphere was like a rock concert, but I would not describe him as a rock star - maybe a graceful prizefighter, or fine writer, whose controlled prose and movements hung together artfully. Biggest applause lines: support for art, music and, yes, poetry (this was Santa Fe, after all); a requirement for community service for student loans, and thankful that - whatever happens on Super Tuesday -- George W. Bush's name will not be on the November ballot.   I'm proud to be an Obama supporter.