[LWVNM Action] Fw: Interstate Medical Licensure Compact - Good news

[Richard Mason]

 The LWVNM has supported this legislation.
Dick Mason
   ----- Forwarded Message ----- From: Judy Williams <jkwilliams24 at gmail.com>To: Dick Mason <polirich at aol.com>Sent: Sunday, December 21, 2025 at 09:12:49 AM MSTSubject: Compacts - second item  
 
Compacts modernize health care workforces


   
   - Santa Fe New Mexican
   - 21 Dec 2025
   - LINDA TRUJILLO AND KATY DUHIGG

Physician shortages are affecting states nationwide, driven in part by an aging population and physician burnout. New Mexico’s physician shortage mirrors this national trend, and because these challenges hit rural and underserved areas especially hard, the impacts are felt in every community across the state.

Unfortunately, national workforce projections warn that over the coming decade we could see a shortage of thousands of physicians — resulting in longer wait times, reduced access to primary care and widening health disparities.

Over the last several months, a bipartisan, bicameral group of legislators has worked with Interstate Medical Licensure Compact staff to address concerns raised about the compact during the 2025 regular session. We are pleased to now report that the compact staff has agreed to lawmakers’ requested fixes by removing language that conflicted with New Mexico law and adding language to align with New Mexican values.

The resulting draft legislation preserves New Mexico’s regulatory authority, maintains provider protections and safeguards patient records and sensitive health information as physicians practice across state lines. This collaborative approach — rather than importing a one-size-fits-all model — ensures the compact can expand access to care without weakening the protections New Mexicans expect and deserve.

The Interstate Medical Licensure Compact allows fully licensed physicians in one member state to obtain licenses more quickly in other member states. A 2023 report, Access to Care and Physician-Practice Growth after the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact, found a “3% increase in out-of-state practices for physicians whose primary state participates in the IMLC.”

However, New Mexico isn’t starting from scratch. In 2022, the state enacted broad reforms to expedite professional licensure for qualified out-of-state licensees, including physicians. These reforms direct licensing boards to issue expedited licenses within 30 days when applicants hold active, good-standing licenses from other states.

The Interstate Medical Licensure Compact builds on that foundation rather than replacing it. Where expedited licensure law opened the door to faster recognition of out-of-state professionals, the compact adds a structured, multistate pathway tailored specifically for physicians, with shared vetting, data-sharing and clear eligibility criteria. In doing so, it aligns New Mexico’s earlier commitment to streamlined licensure with both regional and national strategies to confront the physician shortage, positioning the state to attract and retain the providers its communities urgently need.

As health care grows more integrated and data-driven, the ability to move qualified professionals across institutional and state boundaries will be essential to keeping pace with patient needs. Joining this compact in a manner that will benefit New Mexico has been a complex and time-consuming endeavor. We appreciate the work of everyone involved in the process and look forward to getting this critical legislation passed in the upcoming session.

  
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