New Mexico Law Review and Tribal Law Journal to Host Symposium on the Future of Health Care in New Mexico
September 22, 2026
The New Mexico Law Review and Tribal Law Journal will host the 2026 Symposium, “The Collapse of Care: Addressing Rural Healthcare Access, Federal Funding, and the Future of New Mexico Care,” on Friday, October 30, at the University of New Mexico School of Law. Attorneys, health care professionals, students, and members of the public are invited to attend.
The full-day symposium will bring together judges, legislators, health care professionals, attorneys, academics, and policymakers to examine legal and policy challenges affecting access to health care throughout New Mexico. The program will consider the implications of upcoming federal changes to Medicaid for New Mexico, as well as Native health care delivery, maternal health care, rural access, private equity’s role in health care delivery, and state constitutional questions surrounding a potential right to health care.
The symposium will begin with a keynote address by Professor Nicole Huberfeld, Edward R. Utley Professor of Health Law at Boston University School of Law and Public Health. Her keynote, “Federalism, Medicaid, and the Changing State Role in Healthcare Delivery,” will examine the relationship between federal and state governments in providing health care and the evolving role of states in health care delivery.
Throughout the day, panels will examine health care law and policy from a range of perspectives. A Three Branches Update will bring together New Mexico Supreme Court Justice David Thomson, Representative Christine Chandler, and New Mexico Department of Health Secretary Gina DeBlassie to discuss recent developments from the judicial, legislative, and executive branches. Additional panels will address Native health care delivery, access to maternal health care in underserved communities, barriers to rural health care, and the possibility of a state constitutional right to health care. Participants include representatives from the Indian Health Service, UNM School of Medicine, tribal health programs, Project ECHO, and law schools and health policy programs from around the country.
The day will conclude with a keynote address by Representative Reena Szczepanski on “The Future of New Mexico Healthcare Policy.” Her remarks will bring together the symposium’s discussions of access, funding, rural health care, and state policy.
The symposium has been approved by the New Mexico Board of Bar Commissioners for 4.5 General CLE credits and 2.0 EIJ CLE credits. Registration is $125 for attorneys, $30 for members of the public, and free for students. A light breakfast, lunch, and cocktail hour will be provided. Those interested in attending can register here.
The New Mexico Law Review and Tribal Law Journal extend their appreciation to the symposium’s sponsors: Buckingham & Vega Law Firm; Peifer, Hanson, Mullins & Baker, P.A.;
Source NM; Sutin, Thayer & Browne; Melendres & Melendres P.C.; Singleton Schreiber; and Modrall Sperling.
Questions may be directed to Symposium Editors Jane Tabet-Kirkpatrick of the New Mexico Law Review at kirkpatrickj@law.unm.edu or Noelle Phillips of the Tribal Law Journal at noellephillips@law.unm.edu.
