1. Making it Easier for Small Businesses to Provide Coverage to Employees: The majority of New Mexicans work for small businesses, but during these tough economic times, the cost of health insurance is simply too high for many small business owners. That’s why Diane Denish led efforts to attract small businesses into a program that would give them the option of buying health insurance for their employees for $75 a month per worker. Diane also proposed a plan to provide tax credits to small business owners that offer health insurance to employees.
2. A National Leader on Children’s Health Care Issues: Diane Denish believes that every child in New Mexico should have health insurance, period. She has consistently fought for legislation and programs that help more New Mexico children get the coverage they deserve. And she has earned national recognition for her commitment to children’s health care issues, including the 2004 Child Health Advocate Award by the American Academy of Pediatrics. She was honored to deliver a speech on children’s health care issues at the 2004 Democratic National Convention.
4. Fighting the Epidemic of Childhood Obesity: Both to improve our children’s’ health and to control future costs of health care, Diane believes that we must tackle the epidemic of childhood obesity. To help address this problem, Diane has fought for more gym teachers in our schools and for programs that ensure that children have access to fresh locally-grown produce at school.
Analysis: The Denish positions on healthcare are consistent with most of her other positions. The common central theme running through her thought processes seems to be to use government “programs” to solve problems.
Denish says throughout her career in public office, she has led the fight to make health care more affordable and accessible for New Mexico families. Voters will have to decide if whatever she has been fighting for is a best practice.
Denish points out that she led efforts to attract small businesses into a “program” that would insure employees for $75 per month. She also claims to have made a “proposal” for tax credits for small businesses for purchasing health insurance. There would seem to be several questions that need to be answered. How many businesss qualified for the subsidized $75 per month “program” she tried to attract businesses into? How was this program administered? What was the total cost to state taxpayers of adminsitering it. Was the tax credit she mentions merely something she “proposed” or did this proposal actually become law over the last eight years?
Denish says she believes that every child in New Mexico should have health insurance, period. This certainly is an admirable objective. The question is, where does she plan to get the tax revenues or offsetting spending cuts to pay the monthly premiums involved in achieving this admirable goal? Will all children qualify? If not, how many bureaucrats will it take to administer the qualification processes and determine which children do.
To encourage healthy lifestyles, Denish has proposed a tax credit for employers who provide gym memberships to employees. Assuming some in-state employers take advantage and enroll their employees, where will she get the revenue or offsetting spending cuts to pay for this idea? Also, can employees that already have health club memberships qualify for subsidies through their employers? Would they have to quit and re-join? If only under certain “conditions” can employees and employers qualify, how many bureaucrats will it take to administer the program to make sure employers and employees comply with fitness gym regulations?
The motives of this candidate are pure. Voters will have to determine if Denish has a good grasp on best practices.
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