SANTA FE, NM –The New Mexico Office of Superintendent of Insurance cautions consumers who have subscribed, or are considering subscribing to health benefit plans offered by Health Care Sharing Ministries (HCSM) that these are not authorized health insurance plans. A HCSM may use marketing practices that suggest its plans include the protections found in approved health insurance plans. However, that may not be correct.




These plans may be less expensive than a regulated major medical plan. They may also appear to provide the benefits and protections that a major medical plan is required to provide under the Affordable Care Act (“ACA”) and other health insurance regulations...

The New Mexico Small Business Investment Corporation, at its March 23 meeting, committed up to $25 million to its lending partners to assist New Mexico businesses that have been impacted by market disruption related to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis.

“Small businesses across the state, in nearly every sector of the economy, are suffering devastating losses,” Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham said. “We are tapping every resource we have, such as the NMSBIC, to provide relief to businesses during this unprecedented public health emergency.”

Joseph Badal, NMSBIC’s president and chairman stated, “We have never experienced anything like this before. It’s vital for the NMSBIC...

Says online marketplaces are not exempt from price gouging laws



SANTA FE -  Attorney General Hector Balderas led a coalition of 32 attorneys general, urging Amazon, Facebook, Ebay, Walmart, and Craigslist to more rigorously monitor price gouging practices by online sellers using their services.

 

“Increasing prices on necessities like medical supplies, hand sanitizer, masks, and other items because people are in fear of the coronavirus is simply unconscionable,” Balderas said March 25. “Businesses must exercise more thorough oversight to stop anyone using their platforms from price gouging, and anyone increasing prices in order to illegally profit from this emergency will be...

WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. — Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez and Vice President Myron Lizer were informed by the Navajo Department of Health and Navajo Area IHS March 25 that the number of positive tests for COVID-19 has reached a total of 69 for Navajo people, an increase of 20 cases from the previous day.

The cases include 43 in Navajo County, eight in Apache County, six in Coconino County in Arizona, and four in McKinley County, seven in San Juan County, and one in Cibola County in New Mexico.

“Unfortunately, the numbers are going to continue to rise until everyone begins to comply with the Stay at Home Order," Nez said. "We have to isolate ourselves to isolate the virus. Let’s...