NEWS
New Mexico health officials say state will launch awareness campaign about looming Medicaid changes
State agency plans to spend nearly $1.7 million on campaign involving billboards, TV ads
Published
SANTA FE 鈥� With big federal changes to Medicaid set to take effect in the coming months, top New Mexico health officials said Monday the state is determined to keep eligible state residents enrolled 鈥� and willing to spend money to make that happen.
Specifically, state Health Care Authority Secretary Kari Armijo said the agency plans to launch a public awareness campaign that includes billboards around the state and digital advertising to alert New Mexicans about the coming changes.
The Health Care Authority has budgeted nearly $1.7 million for paid statewide advertising through June 2027, an agency spokesman said Monday. The campaign will also include television, newspaper and radio ads in both English and Spanish, along with social media spots involving local influencers.
In addition, more than 230,000 state residents enrolled in Medicaid will start receiving notices this week 鈥� both electronically and by mail 鈥� about the new rules that take effect in January.
鈥淲e want people to understand what they need to do before risking losing benefits,鈥� Armijo said during a Monday news conference.
The looming changes, mandated under a bill signed by President Donald Trump, include new for most recipients 鈥� at least 80 hours per month of work, job training or education 鈥� and more frequent renewals. Those changes are set to take effect in January.
Similar work requirements have already been imposed on food assistance recipients, which led to 10,797 state residents losing their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits this year, Armijo said. But she said about 8,800 of those individuals subsequently got their benefits restored.
The overall number of New Mexico residents covered by Medicaid has already declined in recent years after hitting a record high during the COVID-19 pandemic.
As of last month, there were roughly 825,000 New Mexico residents enrolled in the joint federal-state health coverage program 鈥� or about 39% of the state鈥檚 total population.
While the state鈥檚 Medicaid enrollment has declined, the cost per member has steadily increased in recent years to $883 per month, according to a recent legislative report.
New Mexico officials were quick to express concern after Trump signed the sweeping federal tax bill into law last year.
Specifically, state health officials warned that six to eight rural hospitals could close due to the bill鈥檚 Medicaid changes, while nearly 90,000 residents could lose their healthcare coverage.
The Trump administration has called the changes necessary to combat potential misspending, while also recently withholding Medicaid funds from two Democratic-controlled states 鈥� California and Minnesota 鈥� due to suspected fraud.
New Mexico has not had any of its federal Medicaid funds withheld to date, and the state has not recorded any hospital closures so far.
But many of the most sweeping federal changes have not taken effect yet, and Armijo said Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham鈥檚 administration is 鈥渘ot expecting our customers to figure this out on their own.鈥�
Meanwhile, the Democratic-controlled Legislature has also been proactive about appropriating state funds to try to ensure state residents retain their Medicaid coverage.
Specifically, HCA spokesman Tim Fowler cited a $40 million appropriation to provide state-level coverage for certain legal immigrants who will lose their Medicaid eligibility starting Oct. 1.
Those individuals include refugees, asylees and human trafficking victims, according to the Health Care Authority. Exact cost estimates for the program are expected to be finalized in the coming weeks.
Dan Boyd covers state government and politics for the Journal in Santa Fe. Follow him on X at @DanBoydNM or reach him via email at dboyd@abqjournal.com.
