Doctor shortage will be debated into the future

It's been a point of debate in New Mexico for years, and it doesn't appear to be tamping down anytime soon.

Our cover story is about New Mexico's doctor shortage, which has been a longtime issue in the state.

Physician groups have put the onus on changes to state law that were put in place in 2021 that upped the maximum cap on medical malpractice damages against health systems and individual doctors. They say that has made medical malpractice insurance more expensive than in surrounding states, which makes the state less attractive to physicians.

The New Mexico Trial Lawyers Association, on the other hand, said the changes were necessary because medical malpractice can alter a patient's life forever.

We touch on both sides of the coin.

There's an interview with a woman whose life changed forever when she had a massive heart attack at 24 that wasn't diagnosed for three days. She lost a baby and her ability to have future children, and she had to move away from friends and family because her heart functions better at sea level than it does at altitude. She can't work and is homebound for hours every day.

How could you ever put a price on that?

But back over at the New Mexico Hospital Association, parents and patients are calling and asking for help because they've been referred to specialists but can't get appointments for months.

Worrying for months while not knowing if something is wrong with you or a child — shouldn't we want to change that?

There's more to the story than just malpractice caps. New Mexico has other things working against it, such as a high percentage of patients on Medicaid, which doesn't pay doctors and medical practices as much money as commercial insurance, and a gross receipts tax system that requires medical businesses pay taxes on their services.

Think New Mexico recently did a report on the issue with recommendations for lawmakers, which are included in the story. I would imagine that we'll be hearing those recommendations and policies debated in future hearings and sessions.

Both sides make valid points. And so did Danielle Casey, the president and CEO of the Albuquerque Regional Economic Alliance.

She suggested a different way to solve the problem: Create high-paying jobs to get people off Medicaid and on private insurance.

There's no shortage of ideas from either side, so it'll be interesting to see what happens.