A Victory for Patients and Increased Access to Healthcare
In an overwhelming show of bipartisan support, the New Mexico House of Representatives voted 66–3, followed by the Senate’s vote of 40–2, in favor of HB 99. The legislation places a cap on punitive damages in medical malpractice cases for the first time in New Mexico’s history, and now heads to Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham, who has publicly voiced her strong support for the measure.
Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine commends Patient Led New Mexico, for mobilizing citizens and patients statewide to share their personal stories about why malpractice reform was needed. Patient Led New Mexico is a grassroots organization that led a patient-focused advocacy effort over the past year. It was founded by the New Mexico Medical Society, the New Mexico Hospital Association, the Sacramento Mountains Foundation, and the Greater Albuquerque Medical Association, in partnership with the Doña Ana County Medical Society, the New Mexico Osteopathic Medical Association (NMOMA), and Burrell College faculty and students.
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Burrell College also extends its appreciation to Think New Mexico, the bipartisan think tank that published a 2024 Policy Report: How to Solve New Mexico’s Health Care Worker Shortage, which included recommendations for malpractice reform.
John Hummer, president of Burrell College, said prior changes to New Mexico’s malpractice framework contributed to an unstable practice environment that discouraged physicians from coming to the state and encouraged others to leave, significantly limiting access to care. He said HB 99 makes New Mexico a more attractive place to practice medicine and ultimately benefits residents statewide.
“The passage of HB 99 brings greater predictability to liability exposure, more consistent with other states across the nation, while preserving patients’ right to seek fair compensation when harmed,” Hummer said. “This is a tremendous victory for increasing health care access for all New Mexicans, and I am extremely proud of our medical students and faculty who advocated for HB 99. The deepest gratitude from the entire Burrell College family belongs to the patients who stepped forward and made clear that change was needed immediately.”
Burrell College also expressed appreciation for Representative Christine Chandler, lead sponsor of HB 99, and co-sponsors Representatives Doreen Y. Gallegos, Sarah Silva, Gail Armstrong, and Dayan Hochman-Vigil. “These citizen legislators are to be commended for leading this important and hard-fought legislation to final passage,” Hummer said.
Earlier this year, approximately twenty Burrell College students traveled to Santa Fe during White Coat Day to advocate for HB 99 alongside other workforce-related priorities.
Third-year student physician Anamaria Ancheta said the visit was rooted in what students witness in clinical training.
“We came to the Capitol because access to care is not theoretical where we train, it’s personal,” Ancheta said. “We meet patients who wait months for appointments, travel hours to see specialists, or delay treatment because the system is stretched too thin. We advocated for HB 99 because we want New Mexico to be a place where physicians can stay and patients can be seen.”
Denise Gonzales, M.D., Chair of Burrell College’s Board of Trustees, said the students’ advocacy reflects the leadership mindset expected of future graduates.
These students are learning medicine, and they’re learning how to integrate into the communities they serve through advocacy,” Dr. Gonzales said. “They understand how physician shortages affect families, especially in rural and underserved communities. Keeping care close to home is a patient care issue.”
William Pieratt, D.O., FACP, Executive Vice President for Academic Services and Dean, noted that the advocacy effort aligns directly with Burrell’s mission.
“We train our students to listen to patients and understand the communities they serve,” Dr. Pieratt said. “Advocating for a stable practice environment is part of ensuring they can complete residency, return, and build careers in New Mexico. Our patients deserve timely access to care.”
Scott Cyrus, D.O., FACOP, NMOMA Treasurer and Chair of Burrell College’s Department of Clinical Medicine, added that student voices carried particular weight.
“When student physicians walk into the Roundhouse in white coats, it’s a reminder that policy decisions ultimately affect exam rooms,” Dr. Cyrus said. “They weren’t asking lawmakers to choose between patients and physicians — they were asking for accountability and access to coexist.”
Dr. Scott Cyrus and student physician Anna Maria joined leaders at the Capitol for White Coat Day. They advocated for HB 99, which strengthens New Mexico’s loan forgiveness program to help graduating physicians manage student debt and continue serving communities across the state.
