Gubernatorial Candidate Diane Denish Sits Down with CIR Doctors

Improving patient care and the working conditions of residents would be high priorities for Lt. Gov. Diane Denish if she succeeds in her bid to become the next governor of New Mexico, she told resident physicians at a sit-down with CIR members on January 13, 2010.

Denish, considered the front-runner in this year’s gubernatorial race, met with 16 residents representing 10 different departments. It was not CIR’s first meeting with the lieutenant governor – she has often met with the residents of UNM, has
always been willing to speak on their behalf and has been a great supporter of CIR for years.

Dr.Alisha Parada, Lt. Gov. Diane Denish, Dr. John Ingle, Dr. Sheila Modi,
and other CIR members discussed health care and child care on January 13.

“CIR residents have worked with all politicians interested in improving health care for our patients,” said Dr. John Ingle, CIR Regional Vice President for New Mexico. “Lt. Gov Diane Denish came to our meeting tonight to explain her positions on health care and child care, two issues very important to the residents at UNM.”

The residents explained that many doctors with families have been wait-listed for child care at UNM, and the wait on that list is several years long. CIR had previously proposed a subsidy to help pay for off-campus childcare services, which was ultimately rejected. Lt. Gov. Denish recognized the problem, and said she would fight to expand childcare services to address what she considers a long-term problem throughout the state.

Lt. Gov. Denish outlined several health care reform measures she supports, including retaining current reimbursement rates by not cutting Medicaid dollars, and developing the workforce, particularly primary care physicians, via better loan forgiveness and subsidized housing programs. She stressed that insurance companies need to be held accountable so that they spend more on services and less on administration. She added that cost containment is crucial in order for health care reform to be successful.

She also solicited suggestions from the residents and made a point of asking residents to get involved in various committees and commissions on health policy that her campaign is forming.

Many residents had questions and suggestions. Dr. Tony Lee, for example, asked for assistance from the Lieutenant Governor on working with the state Guardianship office, to address the problem of patients occupying hospital beds when they could be in a nursing home, driving up costs exponentially. Dr. Lee will be meeting with Ms. Denish’s staff soon to work on this cost containment issue.