A virtual hearing is being held this morning, and comments are due later this afternoon to the New Mexico Office of Superintendent of Insurance to implement a new law that went into effect this year governing how medical debt is being collected. Consumer advocates are doing their part to get the word out about the loopholes in the law that they want to see closed, so it’s important for the industry to make sure it is heard as well.
The New Mexico bill — SB71 — went into effect on July 1 and prevents healthcare providers from placing collection accounts or filing lawsuits against certain low-income patients, while also providing a private right of action should patients sue for an alleged violation of the law.
Advocates are rallying support for today’s hearing and comment period, seeking the state’s Insurance Department (OSI) — which has been charged with enforcing the law — to issue rules to make the law more consumer friendly. Specifically, the advocates want rules to require healthcare providers to check a patient’s income and to expand the protection beyond the one-year period currently in place.
“OSI’s proposed rules do not require medical providers or creditors to check a patient’s income before suing or sending a patient to collection,” warned NM Together for Healthcare. “Patients who have shown that they are low income should not have to submit paperwork annually to be protected from lawsuits and being sent to collections for a medical bill. OSI’s proposed rules let this protection expire after one year, which would be burdensome for families and medical providers and leave patients whom the Legislature protected at risk.”
Interested parties can participate in today’s hearing, which is being held at 9am local time, here:
- By Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83654595694 Meeting ID: 836 5459 5694
- By Telephone: 1-312-626-6799 Meeting ID: 836 5459 5694
Those wishing to submit comments on the proposed rules must do so by 4pm local time today either
- By email to OSI-docketfiling@state.nm.us
- By mail to OSI Records & Docketing, NM Office of Superintendent of Insurance, P.O. Box 1689, Santa Fe, NM 87504-1689
