ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – New Mexico residents who get their health insurance as part of the Affordable Care Act or "Obamacare" might pay more attention to the deadlines approaching for 2018 enrollment - and less attention to rhetoric from politicians.

Veronica Reyes, outreach manager for the state exchange program "Be Well NM," says it's business as usual - but people have only six weeks to enroll starting next Wednesday, for health-insurance coverage for 2018. With rising premiums and shifting subsidies, Reyes says they'll need to be diligent and research all the options.

"There's a lot of information happening at the national level - however, the law remains the same," she explains. "The Affordable Care Act has not changed, so it is still required that people have health insurance."

Reyes says about 70 percent of New Mexicans are eligible for health-insurance subsidies to help them pay their premiums, based on income and family size. Open enrollment begins on November 1 and ends December 15. That six-week window is only half of last year's signup period. Information is online at bewell.com or by calling 1-833-862-3935.

In New Mexico, 250,000 people are eligible for coverage through the state's health-insurance exchange. Now, about 46,000 use the program.

Reyes says New Mexico has enrollment centers in Albuquerque, Gallup, Las Cruces and Santa Fe, and there are certified agents and brokers in other communities across the state who can help with the enrollment process.

"If people don't have health insurance through their place of work or their significant other, a lot of times they don't know where to go," she says. "And we are the official marketplace on the website here for New Mexicans, where they can do price comparison; they can also access the subsidies that the government offers."

Also new this year, New Mexico insurance regulators have launched an online shopping tool to help people compare 2018 health-care plans. Created by the nonprofit group Consumers' Checkbook, the website compares costs and benefits of plans both on and off the state exchange. On the website of the Office of New Mexico's Superintendent of Insurance and click on 'Health Plan Comparisons.'


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New Mexico saw record enrollment numbers for the Affordable Care Act this year and is now setting its sights on lowering out-of-pocket costs - those not reimbursed by insurance. More than 56,000 New Mexicans are enrolled in a medical health insurance plan on the state exchange - an increase of 12,000 people overall.

Colin Baillio, deputy superintendent with the state's Office of Insurance, said the state has boosted its outreach and made efforts to improve the overall consumer experience.

"We saw a 40% year-over-year increase, and New Mexico saw the biggest percentage increase during the open-enrollment period among all of the state-based marketplaces," he explained

Part of the enrollment increase is due to what's called the "unwinding" - a federal directive that required all states to redetermine Medicaid eligibility following a three-year pause on checks during the COVID pandemic. He said by using expanded tools made available by the federal and state government, 8% of New Mexico's population is now uninsured - down from 23% in 2010.

Following approval by lawmakers in the 2024 legislative session, the New Mexico governor signed seven health care-related bills into law - one of which requires annual reporting of prescription drug pricing. Baililo said the Affordable Care Act built the foundation that has allowed the state to pursue additional affordability initiatives.

"I'm really glad to see that there's so much interest in the next step of health reform, really leaning into these out-of-pocket cost issues and making it easier for people to afford to stay covered and see their doctors," he continued.

Two years ago, the state also passed a one-of-a-kind law that did away with behavioral health co-pays for people in certain insurance plans.

New York's medical aid-in-dying bill is gaining further support. The Medical Society of the State of New York is supporting the bill. New York's bill allows terminally ill people with only six months to live to use this option, with safeguards requiring two physicians' approval.

The bill's Assembly sponsor Amy Paulin, D-Westchester, said despite the growing support, other hurdles lie ahead.

"Now we have what I believe, if it came to the floor, a majority. There's still a hesitation on the part of leadership. You know, we need members to assure leadership that they no longer have reservations," she said.

Other newly resolved concerns center on making sure insurance companies and doctors who don't support this aren't held liable. She's optimistic the bill will pass after nine years in the Legislature. New York would be the 11th state along with Washington, D.C. to have medical aid in dying legislation.

Corinne Carey, senior New York campaign director with Compassion and Choices finds the pandemic drew a vivid picture of a person's end-of-life experience. There were images of people dying on ventilators, apart from loved ones, and unable to communicate. She said people began thinking about a "good death."

"And, what is a good death is being surrounded by loved ones, having some measure of control, experiencing the touch of your loved ones, and being the one in the driver's seat," she explained.

Now people have different options for end-of-life care, each of which presents various challenges. Polls show medical aid in dying has garnered considerable support since being introduced in 2015. A 2022 Compassion and Choices poll finds 57% of nurses support medical aid in dying professionally, although fewer support it personally.

The California State Assembly is considering a bill to require schools to have a cardiac arrest response plan. Assembly Bill 2887 would make sure schools update their safety plans to include CPR training and an automatic external defibrillator or AED onsite.

Dr. Stephen Sanko, a professor of clinical emergency medicine at USC, and a founding member of the Cardiac Arrest Survivor Alliance, is a volunteer expert for the American Heart Association. He said having a plan in place is critical.

"The American Heart Association is promoting that schools have a cardiac arrest response plan. A written protocol for what to do in order to decrease the likelihood that if somebody collapses, that they die," he said.

Two years ago, 15-year-old Cash Hennessy collapsed on the football field due to a previously unknown heart defect. Two off-duty medics in the stands gave him CPR. The school brought out its AED - but it was useless, because the batteries were dead.

Hennessy said the experience was traumatic.

"I feel blessed that I had people there for me, that could give me C-P-R. But I think about if those people weren't there and that was another kid, who knows what would have happened? Because there wouldn't have been an AED to save them," he explained.

An AED walks people through the steps to deliver a life-saving shock to a person's heart until an ambulance arrives. Studies show that 70% of kids who suffer sudden cardiac arrest at school recover if an AED is deployed correctly - whereas the survival rate for kids and adults not in the hospital is less than 12%.