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Gov. Susana Martinez has signed legislation that makes it easier to get information about pricing, rates of medical complications and re-admissions at specific hospitals.

The law requires the state Health Department by January 2017 to post hospital-specific cost and quality of care information on an easily searchable website that consumers can access free of charge.

Mike Donnelly, health advocacy director for AARP New Mexico, said information on hospital pricing and health outcomes would help members decide where to go for care.

About a third of our membership is below Medicare eligibility age, and they are trying to make prudent decisions on health care on quality terms and cost differentials, Donnelly said.

Hospitals and health facilities already are required to report an extensive list of information to the state Department of Health, including medical and practice outcomes and health-system costs. But the department has not been allowed to present the information in a way that identifies a hospital or other type of health facility.

Under the legislation, the health secretary will appoint a committee to recommend how to carry out the required provisions.

New Mexico Hospital Association President and CEO Jeff Dye said his organization will work with the committee.

The legislation was a committee substitute for SB 323, sponsored by Sen. Mark Moores, R-Albuquerque, and SB 474, sponsored by Sen. Jerry Ortiz y Pino, D-Albuquerque, and Sen. Sander Rue, R-Albuquerque.

A legislative impact report for SB474 said the health department currently collects the amount listed on the hospital bill. However, the actual price a health plan ends up paying is not collected, and the department will have to develop a system for doing so.

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Consumers to get easier access to hospital data