New Mexico is a beautiful state known for its architecture, culture, and terrain. But there's one fact that many people do not know about New Mexico. That it has bad access to healthcare.

Albuquerque is the central hub of health care in New Mexico. The University of New Mexico Hospital is the main hospital that everybody seemingly goes to. So much so that the hospital is overburdened. Instead of building new hospitals, they continue to build additions to the UNM Hospital to keep up with the increasing patient traffic. People will commonly drive out hours from other small towns to treat a broken leg or give birth. There are many towns without access to hospitals such as Estancia, Moriarty, Edgewood, Mountainair etc.

To paint a picture, Estancia is a one hour drive away from UNM hospital in Albuquerque. What would happen if a resident got bit by a rattlesnake? What would happen if your loved one had cardiac arrest? What would happen if your wife or mothers water broke and they needed to give birth? Would it be efficient to drive them around for one hour just to wait hours more at the overburdened UNM Hospital? Would you want to wait on a helicopter? Of course not. The health care issue in New Mexico needs to be addressed.

The state of New Mexico has a GDP of $95.01 billion dollars annually in state taxes. Where is this billions of dollars going? I am petitioning that we use some of this $95 billion to fund a 199 bed hospital with an ER, ICU, and helipad in Edgewood, NM. It would create new jobs, improve health care for the residents of small towns nearby. It would be 30 minutes closer to several towns without a hospital. And could help reduce the overburdening of UNM Hospital in Albuquerque, NM.