In May 2023, a patient walked into a New Mexico clinic in agony—pain radiating down his leg, a 10 out of 10. His doctor knew right away: this was serious. He had profound foot drop and neurological weakness, signs pointing to a surgical emergency. But in New Mexico, even emergencies hit a wall.

New Mexico’s severe shortage of neurosurgeons meant that, even with obvious clinical warning signs, his referral was denied—simply because his updated imaging wasn’t available. This wasn’t a question of diagnosis. It was a question of access. The specialist tasked with approving referrals wasn’t at fault; they were following strict protocols designed to manage an overwhelmed system. These gatekeeping policies exist because there just aren’t enough neurosurgeons in New Mexico to meet the need.

The doctor sprang into action, ordering an MRI and administering three epidurals to reduce inflammation. Still, the system dragged its feet. When the referral finally went through in June, it was rejected. Calls were made. Strings were pulled. The earliest appointment? Year’s end.

The patient couldn’t wait. He traveled to Durango, Colorado, where surgery relieved the pain. But it came too late. He now lives with permanent foot drop, a condition that impairs his ability to walk.

This never should have happened. The delay turned a treatable condition into a lifelong disability.

We have Patients in Peril.

Over decades, decisions by lawmakers have made it increasingly difficult for independent and community-based providers to survive. Three policy failures are at the root of this crisis:

• An unpredictable and litigious malpractice system that makes it too risky for independent providers to stay in business.

• Chronically low Medicaid and Medicare reimbursement rates that make it nearly impossible for small practices and community hospitals to cash flow.

• New Mexico’s Gross Receipts Tax on healthcare—a hidden cost that affects providers and hospitals, placing further strain on care access.

New Mexico is the only state that has lost doctors every single year since 2019. We are short 248 physicians and counting. Delays are not anomalies—they are the system. And New Mexico’s patients are paying the price.

Prioritize the needs and health of patients above all else. That principle must guide every policy decision we make moving forward. Because when a patient suffers lifelong consequences from system delays, it’s clear we’ve lost our way. We must act to restore access to timely care, or more lives will be permanently altered.

Your health deserves better than broken policy.

When a treatable condition becomes a lifelong disability because of delays, something has to change.
Join the movement to fix what’s failing. Sign up below to learn more from Patient First New Mexico.