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Deb Haaland, one of two Democrats vying for the nomination in New Mexico鈥檚 gubernatorial race later this year, vowed to fix the state鈥檚 鈥渂roken鈥� health care system at a news conference in Albuquerque on Tuesday.

鈥淗ealth care is not a luxury. It is a right,鈥� Haaland said.

Haaland said her plan to fix health care for New Mexicans includes protecting Medicaid, recruiting and retaining providers, bolstering rural health care, combating private equity, lowering prescription drug costs and expanding insurance coverage.

Haaland, an Albuquerque native who served as the U.S. secretary of the Interior under former President Joe Biden, 鈥渨ill deliver on the type of big, bold solutions that our communities want and expect and deserve,鈥� said state House Speaker Javier Mart铆nez, also an Albuquerque Democrat.

If elected governor, Haaland said she will combat President Donald Trump鈥檚 blows to Medicaid by investing in the state鈥檚 Medicaid Trust Fund, which provides emergency funding in the case of federal cuts to the program.

More than 800,000 New Mexicans are signed up for Medicaid as of February, according to the state , one of the largest enrollment rates of any state in the country.

Haaland also said she would hire a team to help New Mexicans apply for Medicaid.

鈥淲e have more at stake in New Mexico than almost any other state, and more to lose from cuts and consolidations happening now,鈥� Haaland said.

As governor, Haaland said she would support making state subsidies for Affordable Care Act premiums permanent. Last year, the Legislature voted to cover the gap in ACA costs left by federal tax credits after Congress opted not to renew them, making the plans more affordable for middle-class families.

鈥淲e should do whatever we can to make sure that New Mexicans have health care,鈥� Haaland said. 鈥淚 think that bodes well for us.鈥�

Haaland also said if elected, she would 鈥渨ork toward鈥� a public, single-payer health insurance option for New Mexicans. Mart铆nez floated the idea of using the state鈥檚 sovereign wealth fund to cover a public option for insurance.

鈥淭hese are resources that we鈥檝e leveraged in the past, for example, to do tuition-free college,鈥� Mart铆nez said. 鈥淚 think the time has come for us to start to think about how we leverage those 鈥� funds to ensure that every New Mexican has access to quality health care.鈥�

Lack of access to rural care and a shortage of health care providers compound access issues for New Mexicans, Haaland said, and as governor, she would work to recruit and retain providers by increasing training and retention.

Haaland said she was supportive of joining the last interstate health care compacts for occupational therapists, physical therapists and psychologists, which would enable providers from out-of-state to practice in New Mexico. She also proposed tracking the effects of the newly passed medical malpractice reforms to see what the impacts are on physicians, and reducing gross receipts taxes for health care.

To reduce coverage gaps in rural areas, Haaland said she would support adding residency slots for rural, tribal and underserved communities at the University of New Mexico medical school, expanding mobile clinics and telehealth programs, and turning abandoned buildings into medical clinics.

Haaland also said Tuesday she planned to limit the control private equity companies have on medical facilities by signing legislation to control how many hospitals or clinics a single private equity firm can own in the state.

鈥淲e need guardrails so they can鈥檛 continue to empty the pocketbooks of New Mexicans while making a profit,鈥� she said.

Sen. Linda L贸pez, D-Albuquerque, chair of the Senate Health and Public Affairs Committee, said Tuesday that when private equity companies enter the health care system, 鈥減roviders are bought up, staffing is cut, services are reduced and costs continue to rise.鈥�

Haaland鈥檚 challenger for the Democratic nomination, Bernalillo County District Attorney Sam Bregman, said in a statement he supported affordable health care and insurance reform.

鈥淣othing is more important than the health and safety of our people. That means real access to quality health care no matter your ZIP code, no matter your income,鈥� Bregman said. 鈥淪ix months ago, I put forward detailed, serious plans to make that a reality. Not slogans. Not soundbites. Real policy. I once again appreciate that Deb and her campaign have adopted so many of my policies, including eliminating pre-authorizations and making health care and insurance companies more accountable.鈥�

Bregman challenged his opponent to a public debate before the primary on June 2. Haaland has declined invitations from two Albuquerque-based television stations to debate Bregman, opting instead to hold an 鈥渋nnovative policy forum鈥� in May that will be shown on public broadcasting.

鈥淟et鈥檚 show voters exactly what leadership looks like when it鈥檚 grounded in policy,鈥� Bregman said.

Natalie Robbins covers education for the Journal. You can reach her at nrobbins@abqjournal.com.