The law that these bills seek to amend provides a gross receipts tax deduction for a variety of physician-provided services as well as for an expansive list of less critical therapies provided to Medicare beneficiaries. The deduction is available for services provided by doctors of oriental medicine, athletic trainers, chiropractors, various counselors and therapists, including massage therapists, nutritionists, dietitians, etc.
People with kidney failure represent one of the sickest and most financially vulnerable segments of New Mexico's patient population. These patients often have heart disease, hypertension and diabetes. Without regular, three- to four-hour dialysis treatments three times per week for the rest of their lives (or a successful kidney transplant), the typical dialysis patient would die within 8 to 12 days of ceasing treatment.
Senator Cisneros and Representative Gonzales recognize that dialysis facilities are lifelines for people with kidney failure, who would die without regular treatment. These facilities depend primarily on Medicare and Medicaid payments and many struggle to remain viable. The proposed legislation is intended to protect and ensure access to this life-sustaining care in New Mexico. Most recently, SB 178 was tabled by the Senate Finance Committee and unless the Committee can successfully work to find a way to fund the bill, massage therapists, athletic trainers and others will continue to benefit from the existing tax break while life-saving dialysis treatments will continue to be saddled with a significant gross-receipts tax in addition to the many other taxes currently being assessed.
Senator Carlos Cisneros
(505) 670-5610
carlos.cisneros@nmlegis.gov