Healing Policy For Healthcare. Together.
Patient First New Mexico stands for ensuring that every New Mexican can access the timely, high-quality healthcare they deserve—by championing patient-centered reforms that strengthen and advance our healthcare system.
This is not about politics—it’s about patients. Patient First New Mexico unites communities, providers, and leaders to create a healthcare system that works for everyone.
Leading a Movement
We’re committed to building practical solutions that work—for patients, providers, and the New Mexican people—so every community can count on a healthcare system that truly serves them.New Mexican Families Deserve Solutions
It’s no secret that there’s a healthcare crisis in New Mexico due to provider shortages. We are the only state in the nation to lose doctors every year since 2019—a net loss of 248 physicians. The result? Patients with complex conditions have nowhere to turn. There are not enough specialists. There are not enough available appointments. And people are suffering unnecessarily.
When one person’s health is at risk, we’re all at risk. A healthy community and state is good for everyone, and the very future of New Mexico depends on us rising together to insist on change so that every New Mexican receives the timely, high-quality healthcare they deserve.
Patient First New Mexico will inform and inspire the public to engage and build a healthier future for us all. We champion the highest standards in healthcare quality, access, and outcomes for all New Mexicans. Because we all share the same goal: by ensuring that everyone has access to the timely, life-changing care they need and deserve, every resident in the state has the chance to thrive.
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Real reform begins with listening to those who need care—and those trained to provide it.
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The Real Problem: Policy Failures
New Mexico has created one of the most difficult environments in the country for independent and community-based providers.
The result? Physician departures, shuttered practices, and reduced services—regardless of ownership structure.
What’s Driving Doctors Out—and Patients to the Breaking Point?
Between 2019 and 2024, New Mexico experienced a net loss of 248 physicians—the only state in the country to see a decline. Many of these providers spent years training to care for patients, but can no longer justify staying in a system that punishes them for trying to serve.
They’re not leaving because of who runs the hospital. They’re leaving because our laws, reimbursement structures, and litigation climate make it too hard to stay.
The Real Problem: Policy Failures
While others argue over ownership, thousands of New Mexicans are stuck waiting. Clinics are closing. Providers are leaving. And rural communities are being left behind.
We don’t need scapegoats—we need solutions.
We don’t need more headlines—we need real reform.
It’s time to stop the political theater and start fixing what matters most: access to care.
New Mexico has one medical malpractice lawsuit for every 14,000 residents—more than twice the national average.
New Mexico’s unpredictable and litigious malpractice system forces providers to carry some of the highest insurance premiums in the country. Many doctors are choosing to leave the state for more stable legal environments—leaving patients behind with fewer options and longer wait times.
Despite recent increases, many Medicaid reimbursement rates in New Mexico remain below the costs of providing care.
Chronic underfunding of Medicaid and Medicare makes it nearly impossible for small practices and community hospitals to break even. Doctors who spent years in medical school to care for people are now forced to make impossible choices—between serving their patients and keeping their doors open. Providers are stuck between compassion and cash flow.
New Mexico is one of only four states that tax medical services.
Through its Gross Receipts Tax (GRT), the state imposes a hidden cost on healthcare delivery—one that disproportionately burdens independent providers and rural clinics. This added financial strain drains resources from the very communities that need care the most.
