HB 370 New Mexico House · 2025 Regular Session

HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS CREDENTIALING

HB 370 prohibits hospitals receiving public funds from denying medical staff membership or clinical privileges based on economic factors, such as a doctor’s fee structure, advertising, participation in health plans, or patient referral patterns. It requires hospitals to base credentialing decisions solely on objective, uniform professional qualifications, not anti-competitive motives. The law specifically bans consideration of factors like membership in professional groups, willingness to refer patients, or whether a provider works at competing facilities. This directly affects healthcare professionals seeking hospital privileges and hospitals receiving state or federal funding in New Mexico.

Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2025

Committee Review

Floor Vote

Governor

Introduced Feb 11, 2025 Last action Jun 3, 2025

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What changed between versions

introduced version → HC substitute · 4 edits

MODERATE

The bill was amended to clarify that hospitals cannot deny medical staff membership or clinical privileges based on economic factors, with specific protections for physicians' competitive practices. The substitute version adds language to clarify that credentialing authorities can require compliance with hospital bylaws and adds a new provision stating that nothing in the bill relieves providers from complying with existing hospital rules. The definition of 'hospital' was slightly modified to remove the word 'any' for clarity.

Scope change

The bill's scope remains focused on hospital credentialing requirements, but the language was refined to more precisely define the credentialing authority and clarify exemptions.

REQUIREMENT

Added language clarifying that credentialing authorities may require applicants to agree to comply with hospital bylaws, rules, and regulations as a condition of approval.

Added a new subsection stating that nothing in the bill relieves health care providers from their obligation to comply with hospital bylaws, rules, and regulations.

Added language to subsection B(6) clarifying that hospitals can still require a minimum number of patient encounters to ensure applicant proficiency.

DEFINITION

Modified the definition of 'hospital' to remove the word 'any' before 'health care facilities' for clarity.

Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Mar 1, 2025

Lower · Passed

DO PASS, as amended, committee report adopted

lower

Feb 24, 2025

Lower · Passed

DO NOT PASS, replaced with committee substitute

lower

Feb 11, 2025

Introduced

Sent to House Health & Human Services Committee & House Commerce & Economic Development Committee

lower

3 primary · 0 co-sponsors