Richardson calls for panel to re-examine health care plans

Kate Nash | The New Mexican

2/28/2008 - 2/29/08

Gov. Bill Richardson couldn't get Senate lawmakers to pass his health care plan in this year's legislative session.

So he gave them a new task Thursday: form a "working group" to start thinking again about the plan — and check back before summer's end.

Richardson met with Senate leaders for about an hour and a half at the Capitol. The group, including Democrats and Republicans, talked generally about setting up a panel that would try to find a health care plan on which all sides might be able to agree.

Richardson said he would call for the special session in the summer.

"I think the governor understands where the Senate is, and we understand where he is," said Senate President Pro Tem Tim Jennings, D-Roswell.

While the House this session approved Richardson's measure, they stripped it of the mandate that would require all New Mexicans to have health insurance. When the bill got to the Senate, it didn't get a hearing in the Senate Finance Committee, and it died when time ran out.

The members of the working group have yet to be decided. It could include House members and members of the executive branch. Lawmakers said they weren't sure whether the group would recommend specific legislation to the Legislature or just make recommendations to the governor. No dates have been set for the meetings.

"We just talked. It was just a discussion about health care. ... We looked at some of the things he went through in his health care bill," said Senate Majority Leader Michael Sanchez, D-Belen.

The main objections to the plan, which would cover an additional 400,000 New Mexicans, included worries about the cost.

Senate Minority Leader Stuart Ingle, R-Portales, said he wants to see updated state revenue projections before considering such a sweeping health care proposal.

"We've got so many things out there and so many dollars already spent, we have to be careful," Ingle said.

Contact Kate Nash at 986-3036 or knash@sfnewmexican.com. Read her blog, Green Chile Chatter.