Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce Opposes Proposed Revision to State Education Funding Formula

ALERT ON HEALTH CARE LEGISLATION

Yesterday afternoon, the House Judiciary Committee considered two of the three major health care reform bills introduced in the Legislature. HB 214, the Health Security Act, which is the single payer, government controlled health care bill strongly opposed by the Chamber was discussed at length. Chamber President and CEO, Terri L. Cole, addressed the committee, opposed the bill and detailed the Chamber’s significant concerns with this and any single payer bill.

HB 62, the Health Solutions Act, which the Chamber supported prior to major substantive changes made to the bill in a prior committee, was then discussed at length during which time amendments to the bill were presented. Terri L. Cole, President and CEO of the Chamber, opposed HB 62 in its current form and indicated that the amendments would have to be added to the bill and no other changes made if we were to support the Health Solutions Act in the future. 

The amendments, which are supported by the Chamber because they restore the core components of the original bill, include Chamber driven changes that strengthen the bill and improve it for businesses. These changes include a number of additional deductions that can be included in calculations by businesses which will significantly decrease or eliminate payments into the Healthy Workforce Fund.

After over six hours spent on the two bills, House Judiciary Chairman Al Park appointed a sub-committee composed of Majority Floor Leader Ken Martinez, Representative Mimi Stewart (D) and Representative Dan Foley (R) to meet on Tuesday and review amendments and suggestions that the two bills be in some way merged, and to come back to the full committee with recommendations. 

We are deeply concerned over remarks and suggestions made by several committee members that it might be helpful to bring single payer components into the Health Solutions Act. While we would certainly review in detail any recommended changes to the bill, it should be noted that we are absolutely opposed to any single payer component.