State to hold public meetings on Health Care Consolidation Act in Las Vegas, Taos

Vulture. 16—There’s still time to weigh in on the push to give state regulatory officials say-so over hospital mergers and acquisitions in New Mexico.

For residents of Taos and Las Vegas, NM, that chance is coming to their backyard.

Lawmakers earlier this year passed the Health Care Consolidation Act, which gave the New Mexico Office of Superintendent of Insurance approval over hospital mergers and acquisitions until July 2025. Those decisions would consider whether proposed deals would reduce or eliminate access to essential services, drive up costs , affect quality of care or stifle competition.

But state leaders worried about how big business transactions might affect health care in New Mexico are working to craft a more permanent approach.

The Office of Superintendent of Insurance is currently gathering input on the Health Care Consolidation Act, with public meetings planned Wednesday in Las Vegas and Thursday in Taos.

Meetings were held earlier this year in Alamogordo, Las Cruces and Gallup.