A. Within sixty days of the effective date of the New Mexico Health Insurance Exchange Act, the board shall create a preliminary plan of operation containing provisions to ensure the fair, reasonable and equitable administration of the exchange. Within six months of the effective date of the New Mexico Health Insurance Exchange Act, the board shall create and implement a final plan of operation containing provisions to ensure that the exchange is administered using best practices in business administration.

B. The board shall provide for public notice and hearing prior to approving the plan of operation.

C. The preliminary plan of operation shall:

(1) establish procedures to implement the provisions of the New Mexico Health Insurance Exchange Act, consistent with state and federal law;

(2) establish procedures for handling and accounting for the exchange's assets and money; and

(3) establish regular times and meeting places for meetings of the board.

D. The final plan of operation shall:

(1) establish a statewide consumer assistance program, including a navigator program;

(2) establish consumer complaint and grievance procedures for issues relating to the exchange;

(3) establish procedures for alternative dispute resolution between the exchange and contractors or health insurance issuers;

(4) develop and implement policies that:

(a) promote effective communication and collaboration between the exchange and Indian nations, tribes and pueblos, including communicating and collaborating on those nations', tribes' and pueblos' plans for creating or participating in health insurance exchanges; and

(b) promote cultural competency in providing effective services to Native Americans;

(5) establish conflict-of-interest policies and procedures; and

(6) contain additional provisions necessary and proper for the execution of the powers and duties of the board.

History: Laws 2013, ch. 54, § 5; 2019, ch. 266, § 2.

The 2019 amendment, effective June 14, 2019, required the board of directors of the New Mexico health insurance exchange to create and implement a final plan of operation to ensure the health insurance exchange is administered using best practices in business administration; and in Subsection A, after "ensure", deleted "the fair, reasonable and equitable administration of" and added "that", and after "the exchange", added "is administered using best practices in business administration".

Severability. — Laws 2013, ch. 54, § 16 provided that if any part or application of Laws 2013, ch. 54, §§ 1 through 15 are held invalid, the remainder or its application to other situations or persons shall not be affected.