New Mexico’s Medicaid program has formed a new advisory council to give direct input from beneficiaries on the direction of services and administration that impact over 800,000 residents in the state.
The New Mexico Health Care Authority (HCA) established the Medicaid Beneficiary Advisory Council on July 23. The group is made up of 15 members, including Medicaid recipients, their families, and caretakers. This marks the first time the state has created a formal avenue for these groups to advise leadership about Medicaid programs.
Dana Flannery, Medicaid director, said, “The council gives Medicaid members—people who have lived experience navigating the system firsthand—a meaningful way to add their voices and help shape improvements within Medicaid.”
The formation of this council follows federal recommendations from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services aimed at increasing member involvement in shaping healthcare programs. Council members will meet online four times a year to offer feedback on ways to improve access, quality, and equity in services. They will also work to identify barriers faced by beneficiaries and suggest solutions.
In addition to advising on policy changes, council members will elect leaders among themselves, draft bylaws, and produce annual reports documenting their work. In the future, representatives from this group are expected to make up as much as 25% of the broader Medicaid Advisory Committee. This step is intended to ensure that those with direct experience in using Medicaid can influence high-level decisions about how it operates.
