SANTA FE — New Mexico hospitals are expected to get an additional $66 million in Medicaid payments to help cover losses during the coronavirus public health emergency, state officials said Monday.
The state Human Services Department confirmed the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid approved the rate increase for hospital stays. That includes increasing reimbursements for intensive care stays by 50% for the duration of the emergency.
Human Services Secretary David Scrace said it’s important that hospitals have financial support during the pandemic.
“The significant increase in ICU payments reflects the level of concern that the Human Services Department has for our state’s most scarce resource during the pandemic,” Scrase said. “As part of the medical advisory team’s crisis planning, hospital ICU capacity across the state will double. This will dramatically increase hospital costs in many categories, including medical and nursing staff, ventilators and other critical care devices, and personal protective equipment.”
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New Mexico has nearly 4,900 cases, with 194 people hospitalized.
The latest numbers show McKinley County, which includes the city of Gallup and a portion of the Navajo Nation, continues to lead the state with more than 1,520 cases. The rural area also accounted for six of the nine deaths reported Sunday.
A lockdown in Gallup was lifted over the weekend, but the mayor wants people to wear masks as part of the effort to curb the spread.
In southern New Mexico, the state Health Department is reporting 19 cases among individuals being held at the Otero County processing center run by federal immigration authorities.
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As for the hospital funding, state officials say that in addition to the significant Medicaid rate increases, federal officials have pushed out $35 million in hospital payments ahead of schedule and released more than $46 million in new payments to help nursing facilities.
More than 1 million people in New Mexico receive benefits or services through the Human Services Department.
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