The state of New Mexico has created a behavioral health crisis by abruptly canceling Medicaid payments to nearly every in-state provider because of unsubstantiated claims of mismanagement by a few.
In the meantime, our patients have lost access to their doctors, their pharmacy services, and their providers.
New Mexico needs a health care hero to intervene. I urge you to protect New Mexico's most vulnerable behavioral health patients while allegations in the state's secret audit are properly investigated. Support our legislators asking you to limit HSD's unnecessarily broad interpretation of the new ACA rules and restore Medicaid funding to our New Mexico providers and patients until this controversy is resolved.
Why is this important?
In June, New Mexico's Human Services Department abruptly cancelled Medicaid payments to the state's 15 largest non-profit behavioral health providers, leaving more than 30,000 PTSD, suicidal and behaviorally disabled patients without guaranteed access to their regular doctors and providers.
The state claimed an internal secret audit found irregularities and opted to end provider contracts before their claims are even investigated.
Legislators have asked US HHS Secretary Sebelius to intervene by continuing Medicaid payments for patients needing care until the state's unsupported allegations are investigated and the full story is told.
