A majority of Americans say they are worried that they or someone in their family will lose or be unable to afford healthcare coverage if the Supreme Court overturns the Affordable Care Act (ACA)– Obamacare or its protections for people with pre-existing conditions. And New Mexicans are no exception.
In our state alone, it’s estimated over 330,000 New Mexicans under the age of 65 live with pre-existing conditions.
Yet, the Trump administration is arguing in court that the ACA should be overturned, including its preexisting condition protections, premium subsidies to make coverage more affordable, Medicaid expansion, and a host of other provisions. And it is clear a possible court decision to overturn the ACA could produce immediate chaos in the health care system and financial ruin for many Americans.
affordable care act; pre-existing conditions; New Mexico
Fighting for New Mexicans With Pre-Existing Conditions
Thankfully, even if the ACA is dismantled by the Supreme Court, some New Mexico lawmakers put protections for people with pre-existing conditions into state law to shield our working families. The law makes it illegal for any health care insurance company in New Mexico to deny a person health insurance because of a pre-existing condition.
But there’s still more work to do. At the next Legislative Session, NM’s lawmakers will have to put the best of the ACA’s provisions into state law and take action to keep healthcare costs from skyrocketing. Here’s a look at how legislators did on pre-existing conditions in 2019:
affordable care act; pre-existing conditions; New Mexico
The following is a public service by the Center for Civic Policy as part of our mission to advocate for issues of vital importance to NM families, educate the community, and keep an accountability record of of how legislators vote. This way, we hope to engage everyday New Mexicans in policy issues that impact their families and communities:
affordable care act; pre-existing conditions; New Mexico
How did legislators vote on Pre-Existing Conditions in 2019?
New Mexico Senate – 2019 Legislative Session:
| OPPOSED – Protections for Pre-Existing Conditions | SUPPORTED – Protections for Pre-Existing Conditions | EXCUSED |
| Sen. Gregory Baca | Sen. Pete Campos | Sen. Joseph Cervantes |
| Sen. Craig Brandt | Sen. Jacob Candelaria | Sen. Carlos Cisneros |
| Sen. William Burt | Sen. Daniel Ivey-Soto | Sen. Georg Munoz |
| Sen. Gregg Fulfer | Sen. Linda Lopez | Sen. Cliff Pirtle, |
| Sen. Candace Gould | Sen. Richard Martinez | Sen. Sander Rue |
| Sen. Ron Griggs | Sen. Bill O’Neill | Sen. John Sapien |
| Sen. Stuart Ingle | Sen. Gerald Ortiz y Pino | Sen. Antoinette Sedillo Lopez |
| Sen. Gay Kernan | Sen. Michael Padilla | |
| Sen. Mark Moores | Sen. Mary Kay Papen | |
| Sen. Steven Neville | Sen. John Pinto | |
| Sen. William Payne | Sen. Gabriel Ramos | |
| Sen. William Sharer | Sen. Nancy Rodriguez | |
| Sen. James White | Sen. Clemente Sanchez | |
| Sen. Pat Woods | Sen. Benny Shendo | |
| Sen. John Arthur Smith | ||
| Sen. William Soules, | ||
| Sen. Elizabeth Stefanics | ||
| Sen. Jeff Steinborn | ||
| Sen. Mimi Stewart | ||
| Sen. Bill Tallman | ||
| Sen. Peter Wirth |
affordable care act; pre-existing conditions; New Mexico
New Mexico House – 2019 Legislative Session:
| OPPOSED – Protections for Pre-Existing Conditions | SUPPORTED – Protections for Pre-Existing Conditions | EXCUSED | ABSENT |
| Rep. Phelps Anderson | Rep. Abbas Akhil | Rep. Armstrong, Deborah | Rep. Harry Garcia |
| Rep. Gail Armstrong | Rep. Eliseo Alcon | Rep. Patricio Ruiloba | Rep. Willie Madrid |
| Rep. Alonzo Baldonado | Rep. Anthony Allison | Rep. Nathan Small | |
| Rep. Paul Bandy | Rep. Karen Bash | Rep. Linda Trujillo | |
| Rep. Rachel Black | Rep. Micaela Cadena | ||
| Rep. Cathrynn Brown, | Rep. Christine Chandler | ||
| Rep. Jackey Chatfield | Rep. Gail Chasey | ||
| Rep. Zachary Cook | Rep. Brian Egolf | ||
| Rep. Randal Crowder | Rep. Daymon Ely | ||
| Rep. Rebecca Dow | Rep. Joanne Ferrary | ||
| Rep. Candy Ezzell | Rep. Natalie Figueroa | ||
| Rep. Kelly Fajardo | Rep. Doreen Gallegos | ||
| Rep. David Gallegos | Rep. Miguel Garcia | ||
| Rep. Jason Harper | Rep. Joy Garratt | ||
| Rep. Tim Lewis | Rep. Roberto Gonzales | ||
| Rep. Rodney Montoya | Rep. Susan Herrera | ||
| Rep. Greg Nibert | Rep. Dayan Hochman-Vigil | ||
| Rep. Jane Powdrell-Culbert | Rep. D. Wonda Johnson | ||
| Rep. William Rehm | Rep. Raymundo Lara | ||
| Rep. Gregg Schmedes | Rep. Derrick Lente | ||
| Rep. Larry Scott | Rep. Georgene Louis | ||
| Rep. James Strickler | Rep. Patricia Lundstrom | ||
| Rep. James Townsend | Rep. Antonio Maestas | ||
| Rep. Martin Zamora | Rep. Javier Martinez | ||
| Rep. Rodolpho Martinez | |||
| Rep. Matthew McQueen | |||
| Rep. William Pratt | |||
| Rep. Andrea Romero | |||
| Rep. G. Andres Romero | |||
| Rep. Patricia Roybal Caballero | |||
| Rep. Angelica Rubio | |||
| Rep. Tomas Salazar | |||
| Rep. Joseph Sanchez | |||
| Rep. Debra Sarinana | |||
| Rep. Melanie Stansbury | |||
| Rep. Sheryl Stapleton | |||
| Rep. Candie Sweetser | |||
| Rep. Elizabeth Thomson | |||
| Rep. Christine Trujillo | |||
| Rep. Jim Trujillo |