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Doña Ana County leaders consider pilot to cover premiums and out‑of‑pocket costs for high‑need residents
Summary
County staff proposed expanding the Healthcare Assistance Program to include premium assistance and limited out‑of‑pocket coverage for people with chronic or catastrophic illnesses, recommending a narrow pilot using an existing $200,000 allocation and a medical‑director review process; commissioners asked for refined eligibility language and SOPs before adoption.
Doña Ana County staff on Feb. 3 proposed adding premium assistance and limited out‑of‑pocket coverage to the county’s Healthcare Assistance Program (HCAHPS) and recommended launching the change as a narrowly-targeted pilot.
Staff presented a draft resolution and operational options for commissioners, saying the county could pay a beneficiary’s insurance premium (or remaining premium above an affordability threshold) and certain in‑network out‑of‑pocket costs. "The county has the ability to make decisions around premium and other out of pocket costs related to helping people gain coverage," Jamie Michael, Health and Human Services Department, told the commission.
Why it matters: HCAHPS is a statutorily authorized county program that counties design locally. Commissioners weigh preserving core services — primary care, dental, behavioral health, limited orthopedics/physical therapy and end‑of‑life care — while testing whether premium assistance helps people obtain ongoing specialty care and avoids…
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