Rep. Rebecca Dow emphasized the importance of elections, noting that the medical malpractice bill passed the New Mexico House by a single vote. Dow made this statement in a December 11 post on X.
"Just a reminder- the medical malpractice bill passed the house floor by one vote," said , District 38 NM State Representative. "Elections matter."
Dow's tweet was a response to journalist Alex Heard, who highlighted the rising costs of malpractice insurance in New Mexico. According to Heard, New Mexico is a "target-rich environment" for malpractice lawsuits, which has resulted in increasing insurance rates and is pushing some hospitals toward closure. Dow referred to the state's recent medical malpractice bill, which narrowly passed the House.
Rebecca Dow's tweet on medical malpractice.
| https://x.com/dowfornm/status/1866829324936155222
According to Searchlight NM, New Mexico is experiencing "soaring" malpractice insurance rates, making it one of the most expensive states for healthcare providers. These costs are causing financial instability for some rural hospitals and independent clinics.
A 2024 report by the Cicero Institute reveals that New Mexico's physician-to-patient ratio is 16% below the national average, with a shortage in critical care medicine falling 44% below the national average. The state ranks in the bottom half of states for primary care availability and overall physician access. The report projects that New Mexico will face a shortage of 2,118 physicians by 2030, including 326 in primary care alone.
In April 2023, Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham signed Senate Bill 523 into law, amending New Mexico's Medical Malpractice Act. The legislation caps damages recoverable from an injury or death due to malpractice at independent healthcare facilities—such as urgent care centers, ambulatory surgical centers, and free-standing emergency rooms—at $1 million, excluding punitive damages.
As per her website, Rep. Dow has dedicated her career to serving New Mexico with a focus on job creation and defending constitutional rights. Elected to the New Mexico House of Representatives in 2017, she has worked to deregulate industries like oil and gas, which are vital to the state's economy. Dow is also the founder of several nonprofits in Sierra County that provide early childhood education, home visiting services, college and career preparation programs, and comprehensive family support.
