About 2,350 immigrants in New Mexico lost Medicaid eligibility on Oct. 1 as federal changes took effect, according to the New Mexico Health Care Authority, KOAT reports. For them, losing eligibility means navigating a new health care system while trying to avoid a coverage gap.
Health advocates say the change could confuse families who have relied on Medicaid to cover routine visits, prescriptions and other medical needs. Many New Mexico families "rely on their Medicaid coverage," Shanae Satriana, a health care advocate with the New Mexico Center on Law and Poverty, told KOAT. She said immigrant families need clear information about what the changes mean and what they can do next.
The changes are part of a broader overhaul of federal Medicaid eligibility requirements enacted in 2025, and the Health Care Authority estimates about 89,000 more New Mexicans could lose coverage beginning in January. The state is directing residents who no longer qualify for federal Medicaid toward BeWell, its health insurance marketplace.
Satriana said moving from one program to another can be difficult for families used to having coverage whenever they need it, since they will now have only a set time frame to apply. Community organizations, including the Center on Law and Poverty, are helping residents determine whether they qualify for other coverage and complete the enrollment process.
What's Next
Advocates have encouraged those affected to enroll by Nov. 1 to help prevent interruptions in their coverage.
Why It Matters
For immigrant families, the immediate challenge is making sure the loss of Medicaid eligibility does not become a loss of access to medical care.
About This Story
Daily Reports is Brant.One’s news roundup. Each day we gather the New Mexico stories worth knowing from newsrooms across the state, sum them up and point you to the source. This one comes from KOAT’s reporting, and their original story has the interviews and full details.
Editor’s note: Updated Oct. 31, 2026. This story is now part of Daily Reports, our New Mexico news roundup, and was revised to credit KOAT’s original reporting. Learn how Daily Reports works in our editorial standards.
