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On this episode we talk about the promises and threats from private equity ownership in health care. New Mexico has the highest proportion of private equity- owned hospitals in the country and we’ve been named most at risk of further private equity takeovers. That's why lawmakers recently passed an oversight bill on hospital acquisitions and mergers.

State legislators’ first attempt to pass a bill providing oversight of hospital mergers, acquisitions and private equity takeovers failed in the face of overwhelming industry opposition. They then successfully scrambled to get a second — less controversial — bill passed before the session closed. With the Governor's signature, the state will now have permanent protection, but some lawmakers worry the final bill might have too many concessions

A new emergency bill has brought forward by House Democrats to replace the defeated senate bill that would have provided oversight of hospital mergers, acquisitions and private equity takeovers. Emergency Bills, also known as "Zombie Bills" are blank slate legislation that was introduced before the cut-off date that was left mostly blank in order to give bills that fail to pass, or are tabled, a second chance.

Lawmakers met Thursday to discuss the role of private equity in New Mexico’s health care industry. They talked about what a permanent law establishing oversight of hospital mergers and acquisitions would look like.

New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez announced Tuesday that his office is investigating allegations that a Las Cruces hospital has denied care to cancer patients with low incomes or who are uninsured.

Officials will be hosting the first of a series of meetings seeking public input on a permanent law providing oversight of new hospital mergers, acquisitions and consolidation.

Hospital acquisitions are growing across the country, and that’s leading to higher prices for patients. Many of those deals involve private equity, which often makes cuts to certain care to drive up profits, or religious organizations that might refuse types of care that they don’t support.New Mexico is at an especially high risk for deals that could limit health care. It also has a new law that could curb that.

A recent study named New Mexico the top state in the country at risk of harm by private equity and points to health care in the state as especially vulnerable to potentially predatory actions.