ACTUARIAL REVIEW OF CERTAIN LEGISLATION

HB 279 creates a process for reviewing health care bills that could change health insurance coverage requirements. It requires New Mexico’s Legislative Council Service to hire contractors by September 2025 to analyze proposed bills, with legislators limited to requesting two reviews per chamber per session. The reviews must estimate impacts like affected residents, premium changes, cost-sharing shifts, and long-term health costs, and must include federal guideline alignment checks. The bill appropriates $100,000 for fiscal year 2026 to fund these reviews, which will be reported annually to the legislature.