[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6131944,"mediaKeyId","5727682-8ff22399567d9b0456f4aee7bc8cc5b7","parentId",5727682,"title","LFC finds Health Care Affordability Fund revenue has outpaced subsidy demand; HCA urges refined performance metrics and warns of federal subsidy risks","audioSeconds",1700,"startMs",6961000,"endMs",8661000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5727682-8ff22399567d9b0456f4aee7bc8cc5b7&start=6961&end=8661","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5727682-8ff22399567d9b0456f4aee7bc8cc5b7/thumbnail_6961000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6131944/New-Mexico/LFC-finds-Health-Care-Affordability-Fund-revenue-has-outpaced-subsidy-demand-HCA-urges-refined-performance-metrics-and-warns-of-federal-subsidy-risks","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6131944-dd959c190b29b85d912989e4db3e2779/orig.mp4?Expires=1770775783&Signature=kjXcTK5Jx40hRZ6iBF9cV1kZW3-WLKYYgFkh68kNk4JSXxrsBGS6PE-xWv2oZsZMZaN-kG0GkTktg78UAl89whW~zswaeT5xNSmXNKpOavzv2ouck8IxoFNdrDzhWaks5qKhsCyJWW~IG5wwkM26WUFFB2ceXEgqxwbqhaC7nBdlrBgm6MBtpMHBF2lYJxoyp9vWqs951gusoSGiA7Z1XVdcpIwNmeanacjr-iiXdXT1DOODMRtxpguGWPnRW5f4wZuWREh0LKI15xPq6EfHhMO2jbP81oNghjZmxI9X-2zM0wRsx866QFnzltlGtcmTOWAkreNr~ttdruErkkyEjQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","New Mexico Legislature","date","2025-06-25T00:00:00Z","article","A Legislative Finance Committee evaluation presented to members found that revenue from the health‑insurance premium surtax routed to New Mexico’s Health Care Affordability Fund (HCAF) has significantly exceeded the amount spent on premium and out‑of‑pocket subsidies to date, and recommended that the Health Care Authority (HCA) and partners refine performance measures and tie future distributions to measurable targets.

Matt Goodlaw, a program evaluator for the LFC, told the committee the statute that created the fund (Laws 2021, ch. 136, Senate Bill 317) required LFC and the Health Care Authority to monitor affordability programs for three groups: small businesses, low‑ to moderate‑income residents who lack other coverage, and uninsured residents. Goodlaw said appropriations to HCAF ‘‘far exceeded the demand’’ as implemented and that HCA should work with LFC and the Department of Finance and Administration to produce comprehensive performance measures and five‑year uninsurance targets.

HCA officials agreed the fund has room to improve performance measurement while describing current enrollments and risks. Deputy Secretary Alex Castillo Smith and Secretary Kerry Armijo told the committee HCA serves more than 848,000 Medicaid members and that HCAF programs provide premium assistance to more than 110,000 New Mexicans through a mix of market and small‑employer subsidies. Armijo said the HCAF currently sits on substantial reserves because federal changes during and after the COVID‑19 pandemic reduced immediate demand for state subsidies.

Both the LFC report and HCA staff warned of pending federal actions that could shift costs to the state. Goodlaw said the end of enhanced federal marketplace subsidies could increase per‑member marketplace assistance costs on the state side from about $45 per member per month to as much as $130 per member per month. HCA projected that FY27 marketplace affordability costs could grow to about $119 million under that scenario (up from about $72 million projected in FY26), and estimated total FY27 HCAF program costs near $225 million against forecast surtax revenue of roughly $222 million.

The LFC evaluation also described a planned HCA program to provide coverage options for undocumented residents (the coverage expansion program). Preliminary HCA actuarial estimates cited in the evaluation placed annual costs for that program between $23 million and $72 million, depending on assumed reimbursement rates and enrollment scenarios.

Why it matters: The HCAF was designed to make coverage more affordable and to reduce New Mexico’s uninsurance rate. The LFC evaluation urged clearer, outcome‑oriented performance measures and better alignment between the share of surtax distributed to HCAF and measurable targets, so the legislature can ensure program funds achieve intended affordability outcomes.

HCA officials told the committee they agree with the thrust of the evaluation, are working with LFC and DFA on performance measures, and are preparing for potential federal changes that would increase state subsidy needs.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Legislative Finance Jun 25, 2025 8:30 AM - 12:23 PM","oneSentenceSummary","An LFC program evaluation and Health Care Authority testimony to the Legislative Finance Committee concluded that the Health Care Affordability Fund has accumulated reserves because surtax revenues have outpaced current subsidy demand and that HCA should adopt clearer performance measures tied to outcomes.","taxTitle","Legislative Finance, Interim, Committees, Legislative, New Mexico","taxId",65385,"location","New Mexico","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6131950,"Colleges tell LFC Grow funds subsidized thousands of short‑term trainings and internships; timing and data collection remain challenges",2601,706000,3307000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5727682-8ff22399567d9b0456f4aee7bc8cc5b7&start=706&end=3307","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5727682-8ff22399567d9b0456f4aee7bc8cc5b7/thumbnail_706000.jpg","/articles/6131950/New-Mexico/Colleges-tell-LFC-Grow-funds-subsidized-thousands-of-shortterm-trainings-and-internships-timing-and-data-collection-remain-challenges","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6131950-92179b7ff9fa92fa5433e93cb88029eb/orig.mp4?Expires=1770775783&Signature=Au2Xtum3ieUf4BUKCOCpiHdVZCIMKji412EKYkSlADJxgumsa479gVzKK~cCPSmtB-4kd-dx9CV~eC7Bwg2DGUhERSEv-F4Q8UluihCR1~POsQ6BI7K4IX1gSrP7XRkTp53xKsObVYa0vxHEanaso3lvUfZFNf-AaCzKczf~TcKME18o2mMGcgWXNsTNuU6ucTBReiIrpGizT30jeOVj50xNHLm7-q2P8bNityV5LpbtCnBZ4JSVQSUexV1fRkrQXoLi16R2DyD9fyaROZ7goQY0fNo6I~FTikRtFnF7nJrPta1s1ZRj4pOQhibVD~IWx-1misWfopi7f6UwZgvuxQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Leaders from Central New Mexico Community College, the University of New Mexico Taos and Eastern New Mexico University told the Legislative Finance Committee that the New Mexico Grow workforce allocation has funded thousands of short‑term trainings, subsidized internships and employer‑driven contract training — but they stressed consistency in funding and better data collection are needed to measure outcomes.

‘‘We have used the $5,000,000 from what we call HED 1. So far, we've used $7,000,000 from HED 2 for the GROW funds,’’ Tracy Hartzler, president of Central New Mexico Community College (CNM), told the committee. She said CNM and other independent community colleges have collectively used roughly $80,000,000 for workforce programs in the last four to five years and described the Grow funding as a ‘‘game changer’’ for paid work‑based learning.

Hartzler and other presenters said the program paid about 2,600 direct learner scholarships and supported more than 250 paid internships at CNM; CNM reported about 800 people had completed training under an initial $5 million allocation and that survey response rates approached 74 percent for that cohort. Hartzler said many learners who reported earnings from the training were making in the $40,000–$50,000 range, with higher earners in technical fields.

UNM Taos Chancellor Mary Gutierrez described local, employer‑driven training that used Grow funds to ramp up certified truck‑driver (CDL) courses, construction training, phlebotomy and medical assisting. ‘‘In CDL, we had 30 students who are all currently employed. We spent $58,000 of Grow money to make that happen,’’ Gutierrez said, noting lineworkers and CDL drivers can have family‑sustaining wages in the region.

James Johnson, representing Eastern New Mexico University, told the committee the program solved a major barrier for many students: unpaid internships that students could not afford. Eastern said it had used Grow funds to increase internship participation across diverse disciplines and is building the funding into a larger quality initiative tied to career readiness and employer partnerships.

Presenters emphasized employer contributions: Hartzler said employers typically match part of subsidized wages and provide mentoring, equipment and time. They also listed common program hurdles: late notice of allocations from the Higher Education Department (HED), time‑intensive data collection to capture post‑training wages, and the challenge of quickly scaling short‑window allocations during summer program cycles.

Why it matters: Lawmakers are weighing whether Grow funding should become a permanent, recurring program. Committee members asked for better and earlier data to judge return on investment and to avoid the administrative difficulty of fronting institutional funds before HED allocations are finalized.

CNM and its partners said they will seek permanent funding and that they are working on shared data models and cost frameworks to report outcomes more consistently to the legislature.

(Reporting note: dollar amounts and completion counts are presenter statements recorded in the committee transcript; some numbers are approximate.)","Representatives from Central New Mexico Community College, UNM Taos and Eastern New Mexico told the Legislative Finance Committee how New Mexico Grow funds have been used for scholarships, internships and employer‑aligned training but said delayed allocations and limited workforce data complicate planning and evaluation.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6131954,"Taos Ski Valley highlights hospital support, forest health work and microgrid plans to Legislative Finance Committee",0,2867000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5727682-8ff22399567d9b0456f4aee7bc8cc5b7&start=2867&end=2867","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5727682-8ff22399567d9b0456f4aee7bc8cc5b7/thumbnail_2867000.jpg","/articles/6131954/New-Mexico/Taos-Ski-Valley-highlights-hospital-support-forest-health-work-and-microgrid-plans-to-Legislative-Finance-Committee","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6131954-e15db5cccdce8e8a8cc707c242bfaf5d/orig.mp4?Expires=1770775783&Signature=UOqbY8YdTMmuu2pmXBjJZ5D9qpk1aN2oJgON37EFxb-V5ZZaLSE2Vq-QOrSufbnrj4jEyVqvAoR-Vkl~W9fa5KY5nWQEjcJz2lyfcK5-JK15wwnL26Qu9MBElBknM9l6l5qmBmhmiR4i0bPQd-db9O4kEShn8C-~9HD5nOpn~hMqVbLJHwugp1b6-IY97teLUmj4AdxQ5thIKX-m-Lkd1wT2TYbT6b1hCs5gPKBWlzaD~sbOPrbTTtnUNvOykl2x38hcvYBk8pjz71IOdMsQvI-zHBT8qkHVpzveDx0MdQk50EUNkTWi8b7GXqWzL6ch7-xG998NSz56RD0-tYwDEA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Chris Stagg, a representative of Taos Ski Valley, told the Legislative Finance Committee on the resort town’s home turf that recent state support has helped local health care and travel connections and is funding forest-health and energy projects.

Stagg said state grants have underwritten a new medical office building and air-service subsidies that expand summer flights from Taos to San Diego, Los Angeles, Austin, Dallas and, beginning this season, Denver via Contour Airlines. He added that air service ‘‘starts for the summertime tomorrow’’ and that the Denver connection allows passengers to ‘‘interline and connect with the world.’’

The resort operator also described multi‑million‑dollar investments in forest‑health work and wood‑value chains. Stagg said Taos Ski Valley and its ownership have spent about $5,000,000 in recent years on forest health and that roughly 3,000 acres in the Taos Ski Valley and Highway 150 corridor have been treated for thinning and fire mitigation. He said the ownership group helped develop a $60,000,000 sawmill in Blanca, Colorado, to process wood products produced by thinning projects in northern New Mexico.

Those forest projects are tied to the Rio Grande Water Fund, Stagg said, and he noted a planned tour of the work for committee members. ‘‘We’re 1 of the earlier signatures and big contributors to the Rio Grande Water Fund,’’ he said.

On energy resilience, Stagg said the resort has partnered with Kit Carson Electric to move distribution lines underground in parts of the community and plans a 5‑megawatt battery installation to provide six hours of backup power during fire‑related shutdowns or outages. He said Kit Carson already achieves high daytime solar penetration and that the battery and undergrounding are intended to reduce fire risk and provide local backup.

Stagg also described Taos Ski Valley’s efforts to reduce its carbon footprint in resort operations. He said the resort is certified B Corporation and carbon neutral, has purchased an electric snow grooming machine, converted snowmobiles to electric and installed mountain charging stations. He urged the legislature to help expand supply of hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO or HVOD) refined locally by Sinclair in Artesia, saying it cuts carbon pollution by about 60 percent compared with conventional diesel ‘‘and we don’t have to modify our engines.’’

Why it matters: Taos Ski Valley is a major local employer and a node for tourism and emergency transport in northern New Mexico. State funding for facilities, airport connections and forest mitigation reduces economic and public‑safety risks that committee members are tasked with evaluating.

Stagg closed by thanking the committee for recent grant support and inviting members to visit the community and the resort’s projects later in the day.

(Reporting note: statements in this article are limited to remarks recorded in the committee transcript. Roles and titles are taken from the transcript introductions.)","Taos Ski Valley leaders told the Legislative Finance Committee that state grants helped revive local air service and health care, and detailed investments in forest health, a sawmill supply chain and a microgrid battery to reduce wildfire and outage risks.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

LFC finds Health Care Affordability Fund revenue has outpaced subsidy demand; HCA urges refined performance metrics and warns of federal subsidy risks

Colleges tell LFC Grow funds subsidized thousands of short‑term trainings and internships; timing and data collection remain challenges

Taos Ski Valley highlights hospital support, forest health work and microgrid plans to Legislative Finance Committee