New Mexico House Republican leaders recently wrote a letter requesting that the inspector general for the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services initiate an independent investigation into the New Mexico Department of Health (DOH) regarding accusations of abuse stemming from that department.
House Republican Leader Ryan Lane, Republican Whip Greg Nibert, and Republican Caucus Chair Gail Armstrong all wrote and signed the letter to Health and Human Services Inspector General Christi Grimm. The letter asked for an independent investigation into New Mexico’s Medicaid waiver program to go along with the New Mexico Department of Health’s internal investigation.
“A federally sanctioned, independent investigation conducted by your office will ensure complete transparency regarding these suspected and unacceptable incidents,” the leaders wrote in the letter. “Your investigation will also preclude the inevitable possibility that the New Mexico Department of Health will fail to take necessary steps to prevent such cases in the future. Unfortunately, the State of New Mexico has a rather dismal record of protecting vulnerable populations who are under the care of state agencies and who receive needed services through state administered programs. These recently discovered cases of alleged abuse, neglect and exploitation create a new round of questions and concerns.”
A case of abuse of a developmentally disabled individual who has suffered severe injuries prompted an internet investigation into divisions of the New Mexico DOH that oversee providers who care for people with disabilities, a recent report from the Santa Fe New Mexican said. In total, at least 13 cases of possible abuse, neglect or exploitation of developmentally disabled individuals were found.
Earlier in March, the New Mexico DOH’s Developmental Disabilities Supports Division and Division of Health Improvement terminated its agreements with four Albuquerque-area providers who were caring for the individual, the report said. The state then began transitioning all 708 people who were receiving services from those four providers.
As part of the investigation, New Mexico’s Human Services Department is also investigating multiple providers for potential Medicaid fraud as part of New Mexico’s Medicaid waiver program.