In January of this year, the board of the Santa Fe Independent Business Alliance voted unanimously to join a broad coalition (now numbering 143 diverse organizations statewide) that supports the Health Security Act, now being considered in the Legislature as SB281.

The Santa Fe City Council and the Santa Fe County Commission are among 31 New Mexico counties and municipalities endorsing this legislation. We believe it is the only solution that will fix our broken health care system.

Consider these grim facts: 400,000 New Mexicans, almost a quarter of our population, have no health insurance; a decreasing number of insured are paying ever-rising premiums to cover medical care for an increasing number of uninsured; and our member organizations cannot afford to pay for such badly needed coverage.

There is a heavy social and economic burden on affected families, employers, health care providers, all cities and counties and the state of New Mexico.

Affordable health insurance is also a critical employee-recruitment and retention issue for our members, who cannot operate on a "level playing field" because it is difficult to compete for good employees with larger entities that can afford to purchase health insurance.

The Health Security Act will benefit our members in many ways:

• By leveling the playing field for employers. HSA sets up a cooperative health plan that automatically covers most New Mexicans in one large risk pool with comprehensive services, regardless of their health, economic or employment status. Even part-time employees would have coverage.
• Affordable health coverage. A 2007 study commissioned by the Richardson administration of several comprehensive health-coverage reform proposals, conducted by Mathematica Policy Research, found that the Health Security Act was the only plan that cost less than the current system, and the only one that would save up to $200 million in its first year of operation alone.
• A healthier, more productive workforce. With everyone having health coverage, a comprehensive benefit package and no co-pays for preventive care (required under the legislation), our employees will be healthier and more productive in the long run, and we will see fewer days missed from work.
• By having a say. Businesses will be represented on the citizens' commission that is responsible for the plan. The plan's books will be subject to public scrutiny and no plan changes can be made without public input.
• Freedom of choice. The Health Security Act guarantees freedom of choice of doctor and hospital, even across state lines, and shifts the role of insurance companies to provide supplementary coverage, similar to what happened with Medicare. If anyone wants to purchase more coverage, they can.
• Money for other critical needs. Because the Health Security Act will save money and decrease the percentage of funds that cities, counties and the state spend on health care, it frees up badly needed financial resources for other vital needs.
• Careful implementation/go-slow approach. The Health Security Act calls for a careful, three-year implementation process. In the first year after the legislation is passed, the Legislative Finance Committee, with public input, will determine the cost and financing of the health plan. The Legislature and governor then must approve the financing package. The plan must prove to be affordable before the next phase can begin. In the second and third years, the plan will be developed (again with public input), with the ability to make adjustments.

We believe that New Mexico is better off creating its own approach now to the health care crisis instead of waiting for a national solution.

Vicki Pozzebon is the executive director of the Santa Fe Independent Business Alliance.