New Mexico
Fewer beds and smaller earnings will hurt New Mexico hospitals as new state law goes into effect • Source New Mexico
![Fewer beds and smaller earnings will hurt New Mexico hospitals as new state law goes into effect • Source New Mexico](https://sourcenm.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/IMG_2860-scaled.jpg)
Smaller New Mexico hospitals will soon start missing out on government funding due to their fewer number of beds and smaller financial performance.
Senate Bill 17 signed into law earlier this year is set to go into effect this summer, redefining how the state calculates its portion of the Medicaid match for hospitals. The Healthcare Quality Delivery and Access Act establishes that 60% of the state’s match is based on “Medicaid service volume” or beds while 40% is based on performance, which is determined by the Health Care Authority based on reports from the hospitals.
“Ultimately, the bill aims to improve and increase access to healthcare services within the state. However, hospitals that do not have significant Medicaid service volume will not see much benefit,” reads a Legislative Finance Committee report.
According to the report, smaller hospitals with fewer beds care for fewer Medicaid patients, compared to bigger hospitals with a larger capacity to treat Medicaid patients.
“Given the structure of the act, hospitals most at risk of down-sizing may not see much benefit. Generally speaking, hospitals that are not fiscally-challenged will receive the bulk of the financial aid based on bed count,” the report reads. “Ultimately, the act does not target hospitals that are financially struggling, and instead helps larger hospitals which are generally already profitable.”
The LFC report uses Rehoboth McKinley Christian Hospital in Gallup as an example. The smaller hospital lost around $20 million in 2022 and will receive about $6.5 million from the new law.
Rehoboth has made headlines recently by being ordered to pay over $100 million in medical malpractice damages. The civil case was filed in 2019 following a patient’s botched hernia surgery left them with life-long complications.
Gallup hospital says it is ‘indigent’ ahead of court order to find more than $100M
“This will not cover the full extent of the losses that Rehoboth faces and they will still have a negative net margin of more than $13 million,” the LFC report reads.
On the other hand, the larger Eastern New Mexico Medical Center reported a profit of about $80 million in 2022 and will receive over $37 million from the law. The report said if the Roswell hospital’s earnings remain on track, it could see over $117 million in combined profits and matched funding from the state.
Twelve New Mexico hospitals which qualify for funding under the new law reported net losses in 2022. Four of them will not receive enough state match funding to turn a profit. These include Rehoboth, Presbyterian Hospital in Albuquerque, Santa Fe Medical Center, and Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Albuquerque.
In Southern New Mexico, Artesia General Hospital reported a nearly $3 million loss in 2022 and is only projected to receive $5.6 million in match funding. The hospital will be profitable at $2.7 million, which is low compared to other larger hospitals in the region.
The report also noted that public funds made up about 70% of total hospital revenue in 2022 and this number is projected to reach 74% by 2025. These include funding from Medicaid, Medicare, Medicare Advantage and state subsidies.
“As the state continues to increase hospital subsidies, New Mexico is in a unique position to ensure hospitals use their revenue to improve patients’ outcomes and access to healthcare,” the report reads.
During a Legislative Health & Human Services Committee meeting this week, Rep. Tara Lujan (D-Santa Fe) said the report raised several “red flags” for the lawmakers.
“We don’t always have all the answers when we come up with legislation. But I knew that we worked together with institutions, with legislators, with the executive office particularly on this bill,” Lujan said. “It looks like we need to make some adjustments.”
When asked by Rep. Pamelya Herndon (D-Albuquerque) about solutions the legislature should consider, LFC Analyst Allegra Hernandez said lawmakers need to make sure there are measures in place to hold hospitals accountable, and to improve care.
She added that the goal should be to make sure New Mexico hospitals are in a financially “healthier place” in five years, and that she does not believe Senate Bill 17, as it is currently written, will do that.
Hernandez offered one solution – the rural emergency hospital designation through Medicare. This designation was established through the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 by Congress. The idea is that smaller, often rural hospitals would transition to become a rural emergency hospital and only offer emergency care to patients. This would limit access to broader services for patients seeking care.
“The rural emergency designation possible by (Medicare) is one potential answer, although it’s not necessarily the most popular answer as it would close hospital beds and only allow for emergency services,” Hernandez said.
Hospitals that choose to transition to this designation would receive another 5% in Medicare funds and a monthly facility payment of about $272,000. According to the LFC report, Guadalupe County Hospital is the only hospital in the state that has chosen to make this transition.
“The state and hospitals will likely need to continue to make difficult decisions about when it is necessary to close hospitals or sections of hospitals,” Hernandez said. “(The rural emergency designation) is an option, although, as I said, it is controversial,” Hernandez said.
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New Mexico
Los Alamos Sportsmen’s Club Shotgun League Members Compete At 76th Annual New Mexico State Trap Shoot
Los Alamos Shotgun League athletes shooting in the 76th Annual New Mexico State Trap Shoot in Raton are, from left, Alyssa Vigil, Mike O’Neill, Ben Salas, Jim Graham, and Vernon Vigil. Courtesy photo.
BY BARBARA VIGIL
Five Los Alamos Shotgun League athletes competed in the 76th Annual New Mexico State Trap Shoot recently at the Whittington Center in Raton. They are Alyssa Vigil and her father, Vernon Vigil, Mike O’Neill, Ben Salas, and Jim Graham.
Their scores and
Event 1 GRAF & Sons Singles in State Champion – Vernon Vigil – 98/100
Event 2 NMSTA Memorial Handicap Junior Gold – Alyssa Vigil – 1st place 95/100
Event 3 NMSTA HOF Doubles Class B – Alyssa Vigil – 1st place 90/100
Event 4 Winchester/White Flyer Singles in State Class C – Vernon Vigil – 1st place 97/100
Event 5 – GPT Twin PAK Handicap – Fourth Place in State Champion – Vernon Vigil – 93/100
Senior Vet – Mike O’Neill – 1st place 89/100
Junior Gold in State – Alyssa Vigil – 1st place 87/100
Event 6 – Quality Lube Doubles – Junior Gold – Alyssa Vigil – 1st place 88/100
Class D in State – Mike O’Neill – 1st place 83/100
Event 7 – Luke Bower Doubles Class B – Alyssa Vigil – 1st place 92/100
Event 8 – Aiden Brogdon Singles in State Champion – Alyssa Vigil – 100/100
Ben Salas Class AA 1st place 98/100
Vernon Vigil – Class C 1st place 96/100
Event 9 – John Algrim Handicap – Fourth place in State Champion – Ben Salas – 93/100
In State Junior Gold – Alyssa Vigil – 95/100
Event 10 New Mexico State Singles Champion
Event 11 New Mexico State Doubles Class A – Alyssa Vigil – 1st place 88/100
Event 12 New Mexico State Handicap Championship in State
HOA Junior Gold – Alyssa Vigil – 1199/1300
HOA Class C – Vernon Vigil – 1160/1300
Alyssa Vigil shot her first 100 Straight in Singles so she got to throw her hat for the other competitors to shoot at. She also received a leather shooting bag for becoming a member of the ATA Second State Team as a Junior with an average of 87.76.
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New Mexico
LCPD: Man arrested in fatal weekend stabbing
![LCPD: Man arrested in fatal weekend stabbing](https://www.krqe.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2024/07/LCPD.jpg?w=1280)
EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) – A 51-year-old man who is believed to be responsible for a fatal stabbing that happened early Saturday morning, July 6 in Las Cruces has been arrested and charged with murder, the Las Cruces Police Department (LCPD) announced via its Facebook page.
LCPD said William Clyde Turner, 51, is charged with one felony count of murder.
Las Cruces Police and Fire responded to a stabbing shortly after 3:30 a.m. Saturday on the 800 block of Avenida de Mesilla, according to LCPD.
The victim, later identified as Carlos Joseph Lakemper, 30, was found to have at least one stab wound to his back, according to LCPD.
LCPD said Lakemper was initially transported to MountainView Regional Medical Center and then to University Medical Center (UMC) of El Paso.
Lakemper died from his injuries shortly before 10 a.m. at UMC, according to LCPD.
LCPD said a witness identified the suspect who was charged by police.
Turner was booked into the Dona Ana County Detention Center where he is initially being held without bond.
New Mexico
FEMA inspecting New Mexico properties for assistance process
![FEMA inspecting New Mexico properties for assistance process](https://www.krqe.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2022/10/AdobeStock_87936495.jpeg?w=1280)
NEW MEXICO (KRQE) – FEMA is reminding people affected by recent wildfires and flooding of the next steps after filing for assistance.
The agency said home inspections may be necessary to make sure a home is safe and livable.
Inspectors will contact applicants to arrange a meet-up at homes.
FEMA said people should make sure to authorize another adult to act as an agent if people have evacuated and cannot return.
Applicants should tell inspectors about any disaster-related needs.
To “speed up” inspections, residents can: ensure their home/mailbox number is visible, keep their appointment with the inspector, and update FEMA on contact information. Inspectors will investigate if the house is sound, if utilities are working, and if the home is safe to enter or exit.
FEMA said a typical home inspection will take around 45 minutes, and recipients should allow up to 10 days for the inspection to be processed. If you have questions, you can call this hotline: 800-621-3362. Find more information by clicking here.
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