NFIB NEW MEXICO CHAMPIONS SMALL BUSINESS REFORMS TO ADDRESS RISING HEALTH INSURANCE COSTS

The following information was released by the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB):

House Bill 289 and House Memorial 52 would give lawmakers more insight into small business owners' affordability challenges with health insurance

SANTA FE (Feb. 6, 2026) The National Federation of Independent Business, the state's leading small business advocacy organization, announced its support for House Bill 289 and House Memorial 52, two reforms that would address the rising cost of health insurance.

"The rising cost of health insurance is a perennial problem for small business owners," NFIB State Director Jason Espinoza said. "Ensuring the Legislature has an actuarial review of mandates is a commonsense guardrail of small business owners' health insurance premiums. Our members want lawmakers to be informed by real data, not guesswork, when crafting policy. In addition to the actuarial review, establishing a bipartisan study group to evaluate how those mandates affect coverage will help inform lawmakers of the challenges small business owners face, and how they can be a part of the solution."

Background:

Ahead of the session, New Mexico small business owner members indicated their strong support for calculating the potential costs of health insurance mandates and their impact on premiums before requiring private insurers to cover them, in NFIB's annual survey.

HB 289 would create an actuarial review process for lawmakers on proposed health insurance legislation that could affect coverage requirements and costs.

HM 52 would create a bipartisan, data-driven study group to evaluate how state-imposed premium taxes, fees, and assessments affect the cost of fully insured coverage in the individual and small group markets. It also calls for recommendations to improve affordability and market competitiveness, including reviewing benefit mandates, coverage requirements, and other regulatory factors that may be driving premium growth.