The Company Licensing Bureau reviews and processes all applications submitted by insurance companies that want to conduct insurance business in the state of New Mexico.

The New Mexico Aging and Long-Term Services Department promotes the independence and dignity of older New Mexicans and people who have disabilities. Its mission is to help older and disabled individuals and their families have the highest quality of life by enhancing their health, independence, personal responsibility, economic status and community involvement.

The New Mexico Medical Insurance Pool provides access to health insurance coverage for New Mexican residents who are denied health insurance, considered uninsurable or have used their Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) benefits and have no other health insurance options. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of New Mexico processes claims and handles eligibility, enrollment and member services.

The Investigations Section of the New Mexico Public Regulations Commission Insurance Division handles civil investigations related to violations of the state insurance code.

The Agent Licensing Bureau licenses and regulates individuals and businesses that conduct insurance business in New Mexico.

The Aging Network Division offers a host of services such as senior centers, congregate meal sites, adult day-care programs, volunteer programs and an employment program. The division seeks to help families remain together, at home, in their own communities. They contract with providers to create a safety net for New Mexican seniors who do not qualify for Medicaid but whose resources are limited. This division is the “Aging” in the Aging and Long-Term Services Department.

The Revenue Audit/Processing Section processes and audits premium tax filings for all insurance companies. The office collects policy filing fees for life, health, property and casualty insurance companies.

The Adult Protective Services Division is mandated by state law to investigate reports of abuse, neglect, and exploitation of people age 18 or older who are unable to protect or care for themselves. APS provides a system of protective services. Short-term services assist people in remaining safely in their homes.

The Consumer and Elder Rights Division provides access to information, assistance, referrals, resource coordination and advocacy to maximize people’s personal choices and independence. The division’s goals include improving the health and wellness of New Mexico’s older adults and people with disabilities, and providing an aging and disability one-stop resource center

The Division of Health Improvement investigates long-term care facilities in New Mexico to ensure that they comply with state and federal laws.

The New Mexico Social Service Resource Directory is an online listing of resources with contact information for 3,000 programs and agencies in New Mexico for people who are older or have disabilities, as well as their caregivers.

Insure New Mexico aims to increase the number of insured New Mexicans and ensure access to medically necessary services for eligible individuals. Programs include health insurance for small businesses, nonprofit organizations, the self-employed, families, children and pregnant women.

The Income Support Division provides assistance with Medicare co-insurance, deductible and Medicare Medical Insurance (Part B) premiums for Medicare beneficiaries who earn low incomes.

The Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC) provides access to information, assistance, referrals, resource coordination and advocacy in areas of daily living to maximize personal choice and independence for New Mexico’s older adults, adults with disabilities and to their caregivers. The ADRC is a single point of entry to the complex and often daunting long-term services system. The staff offers options, coordinates New Mexico’s aging and disability service systems, and provides objective information, assistance and one-on-one counseling for people covered by Medicare and their families. Coordinators provide benefits counseling on Medicare, Social Security, Medicaid and veterans' programs. The staff provides information on how to identify and detect health care fraud. The ADRC ensures that older New Mexicans receive accurate, unbiased information about health care options and other entitlements

The New Mexico Public Regulation Commission’s Division of Insurance is composed of several insurance bureaus that aim to provide people with convenient access to reliable insurance products that are underwritten by dependable and financially sound companies.

The Office of Health Care Reform is responsible for responding to opportunities at the state and federal levels to develop practical solutions for New Mexico’s health system that would improve health outcomes and delivery as the state develops its implementation strategy for health care reform. Priorities include developing a health insurance exchange and New Mexico’s health workforce.

The Insurance Fraud Bureau is a statewide investigation and prosecution office created by the New Mexico Legislature to combat insurance fraud.

The Life and Health Bureau of the Insurance Division reviews and approves life and health forms and health insurance rates to ensure compliance with state codes and rules. This includes regulating accident and health, credit life and disability, life, long-term care and Medicare Supplement Insurance (Medigap).

Medbank helps people of any age who do not have a prescription drug benefit or who have used up their benefits. The program also makes it simpler to apply for free drugs from pharmaceutical companies.

The Prescription Assistance Program helps older and disabled individuals find prescription drug benefit programs to get the medications they need at a cost they can afford.

The Managed Health Care Bureau of the Insurance Division administers and enforces the New Mexico Insurance code, as well as patient protection and insurance division rules related to commercial managed health care insurance in New Mexico. The bureau helps people understand their rights to appeal coverage and claim denials of requested health care services under a managed health care plan or Preferred Provider Organization (PPO).

Senior Citizens Law Office Inc. provides legal assistance, advocacy and education on a variety of topics, including Medicare, for older New Mexicans.

Health Action New Mexico works for affordable, accessible, and accountable health care for all New Mexicans.

AARP, formerly the American Association of Retired Persons, is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization with a membership that advocates for people ages 50 and older. Since 1958, AARP has lobbied for senior issues, including the passage of Medicare in 1965. AARP offers support from staffed offices in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Health Action New Mexico works for affordable, accessible, and accountable health care for all New Mexicans.

Long-term care ombudsmen are advocates for residents of nursing homes and assisted-living facilities. They resolve complaints and educate seniors and long-term care providers about their rights and good care practices. They also provide information to the public on nursing homes and other long-term care facilities and services, residents' rights, and legislative and policy issues. In 1978, an amendment to the federal Older Americans Act required every state to have an ombudsman program that addresses complaints and advocates for improvements in the long-term care system. The ombudsman program is administered by the Administration on Aging (AoA).

The Area Agencies on Aging (AAA) were established under the Older Americans Act (OAA) Comprehensive Services Amendments in 1973 to respond to the needs of Americans 60 and older in every local community. The amendments added a new Title V, which authorized grants to local community agencies in every state. The AAAs provides a range of options that allow older adults to choose the home- and community-based services and living arrangements that suit them best.

The State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) is a national program that offers counseling and assistance to people with Medicare and to their families. Coordinators provide counseling on Medicare benefits, Medicare Prescription Drug Plans (Part D), Social Security, Medicaid and veterans' benefits. SHIP, formerly the Information, Counseling and Assistance (ICA) grants program, was created under section 4360 of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990. This act authorized the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to make grants to states for health advisory services programs for people with Medicare.

The New Mexico Medical Review Association, an independent health care consulting organization, is the federally contracted Medicare Quality Improvement Organization (QIO) for New Mexico. QIOs are private, mostly not-for-profit organizations, staffed by doctors and other health care professionals, who are trained to review medical care and help beneficiaries with complaints about the quality of care and to implement improvements in the quality of care available throughout the spectrum of care. QIOs are required under Sections 1152-1154 of the Social Security Act. The New Mexico Medical Review Association has state contracts to reduce health care-associated infections and to assist critical access and rural hospitals. It leads initiatives such as the New Mexico Prescription Improvement Coalition. The association’s helpline staff provides information to Medicare beneficiaries about their rights and available resources.

The Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) program helps Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries avoid, detect and prevent health care fraud. The goal is to protect older people and to preserve the integrity of the Medicare and Medicaid programs. The federal program was created in 1996 by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and amended in 2006 by Titles II and IV of the Older Americans Act.

Maridel Acosta started her career in the clinical laboratory, and advanced to management and administrative roles. She was associate CEO at Eastern New Mexico Medical Center in Roswell, N.M. She holds an MBA from the University of Texas in Dallas.

Jim Hinton has been with the Presbyterian Healthcare System Services since 1983, and is the longest-tenured health care CEO, having taken the position in 1995. He serves as a member of the Presbyterian board of directors. Hinton received his bachelor’s degree in 1981 from the University of New Mexico and he earned a master’s degree in health care administration from Arizona State University in 1983. He served as chief operating officer of Presbyterian Healthcare Services from 1992 to 1995.

Suzanne Quillen holds a master’s degree in public administration and has nearly three decades of experience in health care management. She is a master’s-prepared registered nurse and a certified nurse practitioner.

Steve McKernan became the CEO of the University of New Mexico Health Science System in 2011. He received a bachelor’s degree in business administration and accounting from St. Bonaventure University and a master’s degree in economics from the University of New Mexico. McKernan is a board member of the New Mexico Hospitals and Health Systems Association.

This Senate committee deals with health-related matters for residents of New Mexico.

This House committee deals with health-related matters for residents of New Mexico.