Signed by Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that prohibits group health coverage that offers coverage of behavioral health services from imposing cost sharing on those behavioral health services in network in New Mexico.

Highlights:

• Prohibits the following insurance plans from imposing cost sharing on in-network behavioral health services (Sec. 1-5):

• Group health coverage, including any form of self-insurance, issued under the Health Care Purchasing Act;

• An individual or group health insurance policy, health care plan, or certificate of health insurance;

• A group or blanket health insurance policy, health care plan, or certificate of health insurance;

• An individual or group health maintenance organization contract; and

• Any other individual or group health care plan.

• Defines “behavioral health services,” for the purpose of this Act, as professional and ancillary services for the treatment, habilitation, prevention, and identification of mental illnesses, substance abuse disorders, and trauma spectrum disorders (Sec. 1).

• Specifies that this Section does not apply to excepted benefit plans provided under the Short-Term Health Plan and Excepted Benefit Act, catastrophic plans, or high-deductible health plans with unmet deductibles (Sec. 1).

• Specifies that this Act takes effect January 1, 2026 (Sec. 6).

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that prohibits group health coverage that offers coverage of behavioral health services from imposing cost sharing on those behavioral health services in network in New Mexico.

Highlights:

• Prohibits the following insurance plans from imposing cost sharing on in-network behavioral health services (Sec. 1-5):

• Group health coverage, including any form of self-insurance, issued under the Health Care Purchasing Act;

• An individual or group health insurance policy, health care plan, or certificate of health insurance;

• A group or blanket health insurance policy, health care plan, or certificate of health insurance;

• An individual or group health maintenance organization contract; and

• Any other individual or group health care plan.

• Defines “behavioral health services,” for the purpose of this Act, as professional and ancillary services for the treatment, habilitation, prevention, and identification of mental illnesses, substance abuse disorders, and trauma spectrum disorders (Sec. 1).

• Specifies that this Section does not apply to excepted benefit plans provided under the Short-Term Health Plan and Excepted Benefit Act, catastrophic plans, or high-deductible health plans with unmet deductibles (Sec. 1).

• Specifies that this Act takes effect January 1, 2026 (Sec. 6).

Full Bill Text