Under the new policy, uninsured patients are allowed to pay $25, $75 or $300 up front, depending on their level of poverty, and then make monthly payments on the balance owed for the elective procedure.
“The hospital’s policies created an insurmountable barrier for low-income patients to get surgeries, impacting their livelihoods and forcing them to suffer through worsening medical conditions,” said Sireesha Manne, healthcare attorney at the New Mexico Center on Law and Poverty. “We are grateful for the collaborative effort of community groups, patient navigators, and policymakers to hold the hospital accountable to its public mission.”
The board also voted Friday to establish a discount program for low-income patients in New Mexico who meet poverty guidelines, are ineligible for Medicaid and are unable to purchase private insurance on the health insurance exchange.
UNM Hospital is New Mexico’s only academic medical center. The hospital provides more than $135 million of uncompensated care annually, according to its website.
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