Health Security Act Strategy Meeting in Albuquerque on Saturday.

Tomorrow The Health Security for New Mexicans Campaign will hold a day-long strategy meeting in Albuquerque (details of the time and meeting place below; and for a link to the agenda click here.)

This campaign has been going on for about a quarter of a century and its supporters were deeply disappointed during this year’s legislative session when the Democratically controlled House and Senate failed to muster a floor vote on the actual bill.

Instead supporters were told to accept a substitute measure.

The substitute was a glorified study, designed to look like the progressives had passed something meaningful.

Guess what happened next? The substitute passed the House by a vote of 37 yeas and 27 nays, but then died in a Senate committee.

That’s why the meeting tomorrow will be not only interesting, but especially important.

The Candle plans to run a more expanded story on Sunday, and will try to reach attendees tomorrow to see what this group of dedicated, but disappointed, advocates plan to do next year.

Despite the possibility of being funded by a non-profit for even more study, there seems to be little commitment to do anything extraordinary until 2019.

Too bad for the many New Mexicans who are in the crosshairs of the national Republican effort to pass Trumpcare, and who stand to lose health care coverage if the President and his allies prevail.

Ariel Smilowitz, a global health consultant who has written for Huffington Post, wrote earlier this week, in piece for the Roosevelt Institute, about the unprecedented unity of so many against Trumpcare:

“In my experience as a public health professional, I have rarely seen doctors, hospitals, consumer groups, and insurance providersgroups that normally have very different legislative aimsunited in stance on a piece of legislation. It is clear across the board that this legislation is deeply problematic and completely detrimental, not only to those who are most vulnerable, but to everyone in this country who seeks care. By making it more difficult to receive preventative, comprehensive health services on a regular basis, people will ultimately get sicker and only attempt to seek care when their illnesses become acute, resulting in higher expenditures and lower quality care.”

It would seem that looking as far ahead as 2019 to get something done in New Mexico is not good strategy. 

It’s like crossing your fingers, legs, arms, and maybe your eyes, and hoping bad things won’t happen while New Mexico’s politicians procrastinate again.

It is time for a new approach … forget about being polite.

Let the politicos know time is running out … as well as the public’s patience.

Which, again, is why tomorrow’s meeting couldn’t be more important.

Hopefully this band of stalwarts will try to mix it up a bit and not accept the excuses from legislators who keep kicking this important bill down a dead-end road.

Twenty-five years is a long time.

Statewide strategy meeting–bringing together Health Security supporters from across the state: Tomorrow,

Saturday, June 3, 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM at:

Immanuel Presbyterian Church

114 Carlisle Blvd SE, Albuquerque

Please RSVP to [email protected]

PS- Below is a chart of the Health Security Act legislation killed overtly or by the legislative shuffle, just since 2003. Time to come up with a new strategy to corner the politicians.

Bill ID Title Sponsor Location Session
HB 498 HEALTH SECURITY ACT Max Coll Died 2003 Regular
SB 505 HEALTH CARE SECURITY ACT Manny M. Aragon Died 2003 Regular
HB 746 HEALTH SECURITY ACT Luciano “Lucky” Varela Died 2005 Regular
HB 843 HEALTH SECURITY ACT LFC FINANCING OPTIONS Luciano “Lucky” Varela Died 2005 Regular
SB 636 HEALTH SECURITY ACT Carlos R. Cisneros Died 2005 Regular
HB 1222 HEALTH SECURITY ACT Roberto “Bobby” J. Gonzales Died (API.) 2007 Regular
SB 720 HEALTH SECURITY ACT Carlos R. Cisneros Died (API.) 2007 Regular
SB 721 HEALTH SECURITY ACT FINANCING OPTIONS Carlos R. Cisneros Died (API.) 2007 Regular
HB 62 HEALTH SOLUTIONS NEW MEXICO ACT John A. Heaton Died (API.) 2008 Regular
HB 214 HEALTH SECURITY ACT Roberto “Bobby” J. Gonzales Died (API.) 2008 Regular
SB 3 HEALTH SECURITY ACT Carlos R. Cisneros Died (API.) 2008 Regular
HB 339 HEALTH SECURITY ACT Roberto “Bobby” J. Gonzales Died (API.) 2009 Regular
SB 281 HEALTH SECURITY ACT Carlos R. Cisneros Died (API.) 2009 Regular
SB 640 CREATE HEALTH SECURITY PLAN FUND Carlos R. Cisneros Died (API.) 2009 Regular
SB 5 HEALTH SECURITY ACT Carlos R. Cisneros and Roberto “Bobby” J. Gonzales Died (API.) 2011 Regular
HB 262 HEALTH SECURITY ACT Roberto “Bobby” J. Gonzales Died (API.) 2013 Regular
SB 226 HEALTH SECURITY ACT Carlos R. Cisneros Died (API.) 2013 Regular
SB 152 HEALTH SECURITY ACT Howie C. Morales Died (API.) 2015 Regular
HB 101 HEALTH SECURITY ACT Roberto “Bobby” J. Gonzales and Deborah A. Armstrong HOUSE APPROPRIATIONS & FINANCE COMMITTEE 2017 Regular
HB 575 PUBLIC PEACE, HEALTH, SAFETY & WELFARE Roberto “Bobby” J. Gonzales Senate Finance Committee 2017 Regular
SB 172 STATEWIDE HEALTH SECURITY ACT Howie C. Morales and Carlos R. Cisneros Senate Judiciary Committee 2017 Regular