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First Congressional District of New Mexico
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ask.heather@mail.house.gov

In Washington DC
442 Cannon House
Office Building
Washington, DC
20515
202-225-6316 Phone
202-225-4975 Fax
In Albuquerque
20 First Plaza NW
Suite 603
Albuquerque, NM
87102
505-346-6781 Phone
505-346-6723 Fax

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Congresswoman Heather Wilson, First Congressional District of New Mexico


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Wilson Welcomes State Action to Use Federal Medicaid Waiver for Low-Income New Mexicans June 24, 2005
 
Wilson Worked to Secure Federal Waiver for Unspent SCHIP Funds


Washington, DC – Congresswoman Heather Wilson today welcomed action by the state of New Mexico to set up a government-backed health plan for lower-income workers.

Wilson urged the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to approve the waiver for New Mexico’s State Coverage Initiative (SCI) project. The waiver allows states the flexibility to use unspent funds from the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). This waiver means that these crucial dollars stay within the state. Under previous rules, these funds were required to be sent to other states or surrendered to the federal government. The Department approved the waiver in 2002, after Wilson sent a letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson urging the approval.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services announced today that New Mexico will receive $42.2 million in SCHIP funds for fiscal year 2006.

“New Mexico faces unique challenges in its health care system. The majority of the businesses in the state are small businesses and less than one-third of these businesses offer health care coverage to their employees,” said Wilson. “Making use of this federal waiver will assist low-income working New Mexicans in obtaining affordable health coverage.”

The state expects about 10,000 workers to participate in the first year. Employers can start offering coverage to their employees on July 1, 2005.

“I hope employers will take advantage of this unique public-private partnership and the available federal dollars to offer coverage to uninsured New Mexicans,” Wilson said.

New Mexico has one of the highest rates of uninsured adults in the country. With a lack of insurance, people are more likely to go without needed treatment and not get preventive care. This causes health care insurance premiums to increase because of cost-shifting, and uncompensated costs threaten the viability of New Mexico`s health care system. This waiver could potentially provide health care coverage for up to 40,000 adults in New Mexico and will allow the state to utilize these S-CHIP funds.

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