Every fall, New Mexicans roast their chile, watch balloons rise and breathe the piñon-scented air. Yet even as we celebrate tradition, too many families wait months for medical appointments, drive hours for care, or face the heartbreak of losing their doctors.

Behind these stories is a systemic health care access crisis: New Mexico has built one of the most unstable and costly medical environments in the country. And once again, another legislative session has concluded without the political will to deliver the bold reforms patients desperately need — leaving families with fewer choices and longer waits.

At Patient-Led NM, we believe three state policy reforms are essential to stabilize health care: Medical malpractice reform, fair reimbursement rates and eliminating the gross receipts tax on medical services. But malpractice reform is the linchpin. Doctors are already being forced out of practice by this broken system, and patients are paying the true price — reducing access to care.

(Originally published by Santa Fe New Mexican, October 11, 2025)