Primary and Rural Health Program

NMSORH activities are integrated with rural health efforts of NMDOH to create a coordinated approach to meeting the needs of rural underserved populations in the state. The PCRHO oversees several key programs important to the rural part of the state including:

New Mexico Rural Primary Health Care Act Program: providing financial and technical support to 92 community-based primary care health clinics throughout the state ensuring the provision of basic health care for the underserved;
New Mexico Health Service Corps: providing health professional recruitment assistance to rural and underserved communities;
Statewide Recruitment and Retention Clearinghouse: providing a single point of contact for agencies seeking health care providers and providers seeking employment opportunities;
Primary Care Capital Fund: providing low-cost loan assistance to eligible community primary care centers in rural and underserved areas;
J-1 Visa Waiver Program for Physicians; permits foreign physicians to extend their residency in the United States while they practice in underserved areas of New Mexico.
Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility Program; providing technical and information support for the development and support of rural hospitals and health systems. It is a federal grant program which targets the development of health systems associated with Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs), the smallest scale rural hospitals.
Small Rural Hospital Improvement Program: Supports improved systems development and quality management in eligible rural hospitals statewide.

The co-location of these programs permits the effective coordination of their efforts, maximizing the impact of both federal and state resources on rural communities.

Rural Health Care Practitioner Tax Credit Program Overview

Health care providers who provide care in rural, underserved areas may be eligible for an income tax credit of $3,000 or $5,000.

Practitioners who are eligible for a $5,000 tax credit per year are licensed doctors, osteopathic physicians, dentists, clinical psychologists, podiatrists and optometrists. Health care providers who are eligible for a $3,000 tax credit per year are licensed dental hygienists, physician assistants, certified nurse midwives, certified registered nurse anesthetists, certified nurse practitioners and clinical nurse specialists. The credit is available to eligible providers for taxable years beginning Jan. 1, 2007. See the RHCPTC program overview, here, for details.

Primary Care Capital Fund Program

Primary Care Capital Fund Application

J-1 Waiver Application

J-1 Waiver Application