We simply cannot afford to let that happen. New Mexico currently has more than 20 such hospitals that treat a disproportionate share of patients who are unable to pay for services. In many cases, the federal government currently pays hospitals far less than it costs them to treat low-income, uninsured patients. To help defray those costs, hospitals are at serious risk of having to cut back on basic services. As a result, ambulances were diverted to other hospitals.
Hospitals are the backbone of our health care delivery system.
When they are fiscally unhealthy, our whole delivery system is at risk. Bingaman is a member of that committee.