Vasquez Votes to Protect Patients, Lower Costs and Address Workforce Shortages in Healthcare

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, December 13, 2023, Rep. Gabe Vasquez (D-N.M.-02) released the following statement on the passage of H.R. 5378, the Lower Costs, More Transparency Act, which increases transparency for hospital prices and pharmacy benefit manager practices and funds several vital healthcare programs:

“This week I voted to lower healthcare costs for New Mexicans and increase funding for some of our most important providers and programs for rural and underserved areas,” said Rep. Vasquez. “I am proud to support investments in our Community Health Centers, physician training programs, and safety net hospitals that will provide New Mexicans the care they deserve.”

New Mexico faces a shortage of primary care providers, nurses and other healthcare workers, concentrated mostly in rural areas. The Department of Health and Human Services estimates New Mexico is short roughly 300 primary care providers and around 5,000 nurses. 

H.R. 5378, in addition to expanding transparency standards, would:

• Provide increased funding for Community Health Centers;
• Reauthorize the Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education (THCGME) Program which trains new resident physicians;
• Eliminate harmful Medicaid cuts that would endanger safety net hospitals;
• Boost funding for the Special Diabetes Program and Special Diabetes Program for Indians and;
• Increase funding for the National Health Service Corps which serves uninsured patients. 

Earlier this year, Rep. Vasquez cosponsored H.R. 3561, the PATIENT Act, which included a number of the provisions later incorporated in the Lower Costs, More Transparency Act. 

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