Commentary: The City Council of Sunland Park, after hearing testimony from New Mexico Together for Healthcare family leaders who live in Sunland Park, passed a resolution on Tuesday in favor of continuing the state’s efforts to shape a healthcare solution that would open up Medicaid for any New Mexican to buy into -- regardless of their current Medicaid eligibility.
“I am very excited about a Medicaid Buy-in option” said Olga Hernandez, a long-time Sunland Park resident and Strong Families New Mexico healthcare advocate. “We need to be looking for ways to provide access to quality healthcare for everyone, like the over 25,000 Doña Ana County residents that don’t have health insurance. Medicaid already serves over 100,000 people in Doña Ana. We should be building on this very good program.”
Since the bipartisan passing of the Medicaid Buy-in memorials in the New Mexico House and Senate during the 2018 legislative session, community members and policymakers have become more interested in this innovative plan.
Allowing Sunland Park residents to buy into Medicaid would provide families without health insurance and undocumented individuals who do not qualify for Medicaid access to an affordable health insurance option. Having more New Mexicans covered would reduce uncompensated care costs that are shifted to taxpayers, doctors, and hospitals, and reduce medical debt among families trying to build financial security.
“My husband was always working and my kids did not have access to medical insurance,” said Olga. “My husband and my three sons came to the city of Sunland Park looking for family wellness. When my husband got very sick with heart problems, he had to stop working and we had no money. We were able to find a solution through Medicaid, but a lot of families like me can’t get it for whatever reason. This has to change.”
The Sunland Park City Council will include this resolution in their legislative requests for the upcoming 2019 session and share the resolution with state legislators.