Deb Haaland Backs CIR/SEIU Effort To Keep Doctors In New Mexico By Raising Salaries For Resident Physicians

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – This week, Deb Haaland, who is running to be the next governor of New Mexico, wrote to the University of New Mexico’s Board of Regents urging them to raise the pay of medical resident doctors in the UNM Health system.

This comes at a time when Donald Trump is raising healthcare costs and New Mexico is facing the second worst physician shortage nationwide.

Haaland wrote the letter in support of the demands presented by the resident physicians, who are represented by the Committee of Interns and Residents (CIR/SEIU).

“I am concerned that New Mexicans aren’t getting the healthcare they need – some people wait months for doctor’s appointments, must go out of state to see a specialist, and can’t afford care,” Haaland wrote.

This is an issue that affects everyone in the state – from patients, to physicians, to caregivers.

“Yet despite their critical importance, their compensation remains among the lowest in the Southwest, a reality that does not reflect their dedication, workload, or value to our healthcare system,” Haaland wrote.

The high costs of healthcare and low salaries for healthcare workers are coupled with the fact that the Trump administration is seeking to make cuts to Medicaid, which covers around 34% of New Mexicans. These factors make it hard for New Mexicans to access quality, affordable healthcare and make it more urgent than ever to bolster the state’s healthcare workforce.

The Board is also moving to strike anti-discrimination language from residents’ contracts, despite the diverse population of trained physicians and New Mexicans alike. Haaland argues that these policies are needed so doctors are able to meet the needs of the community they serve.

Deb knows what it’s like to struggle to keep health insurance and get to a doctor – something countless New Mexicans experience every day.  As governor, she will protect access to Medicaid and lower healthcare premiums, invest in rural hospitals, and work to recruit and retain healthcare providers.