New Mexico Statutes Chapter 27. Public Assistance § 27-5-6. Powers and duties of counties relating to indigent care

A. may budget for expenditure on ambulance services, burial expenses, hospital or medical expenses for indigent residents of that county and for costs of development of a countywide or multicounty health plan. The combined costs of administration and planning shall not exceed the following percentages of revenues based on the previous fiscal year revenues for a fund that has existed for at least one fiscal year or based on projected revenues for the year being budgeted for a fund that has existed for less than one fiscal year. The percentage of the revenues in the fund that may be used for such combined administrative and planning costs is equal to the sum of the following:

B. may accept contributions of public funds for county health care services, which shall be deposited in the fund;

C. may hire personnel to carry out the provisions of the Indigent Hospital and County Health Care Act;

D. shall transfer to the state by the last day of March, June, September and December of each year an amount equal to one-fourth of the county's payment pursuant to Section 27-5-6.2 NMSA 1978. This money shall be deposited in the safety net care pool fund;

E. shall, in carrying out the provisions of the Indigent Hospital and County Health Care Act, comply with the standards of the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996;  1

F. may provide for the transfer of money from the fund to the county-supported medicaid fund to meet the requirements of the Statewide Health Care Act;  2 and

G. may contract with ambulance providers, hospitals or health care providers for the provision of services for indigent patients domiciled within the county; such services shall be provided to all non-citizens, regardless of immigration status, if they meet all other qualifying criteria for such services.