Lea County Health Care Program
The Lea County Indigent Health Care Program is a medical assistance program funded by a 1/8th of one percent of County Gross Receipts Tax and administered by the Board of County Commissioners who sits as the Lea County Indigent Claims Board.
The Lea County Indigent Health Care Program’s mission is to financially assist the county’s uninsured residents with their medical needs.
Indigent Hospital Claims Program
The program provides financial
assistance to medically uninsured residents of Lea County for medical costs as
defined in Section 27-5-4 NMSA 1978 Comp. Claimants must submit an application
and supporting documentation that will provide proof of being a county resident
for the 90 days prior to the date of hospital admission, proof of income for
the 12 months prior to date of hospital admission and other documentation
necessary for completion of the application packet. The application must be
submitted by or before 60 days after date of discharge. Applications can be
obtained at both Nor-Lea and Lea Regional Medical Center. They are also
available at the Indigent Claims office in the Lea County Courthouse. Please
note that an eligible claim must be for a hospital stay of 8 hours or more. The
claim can be for a hospital in another New Mexico county, but cannot be an
out-of-state hospital. A claim for medical services received in a hospital
outside of Lea County may be eligible for payment but it must first be proven
that the same medical services were not available in Lea County.
Lea County Diabetes Program
The Lea County Diabetes Program
provides assistance to uninsured residents who suffer from diabetes.
Eligibility is based on the applicant’s past year income, household size and
residency of Lea County for the 90 days prior to the date of application. Once
deemed eligible, the participant will be entitled to four physician visits per
year (one per quarter), lab tests with A1C, glucometer test strips, insulin,
one eye exam per year and one foot exam per year. There is also monthly
diabetes education classes held in Lovington and in Hobbs. The schedule of
classes is provided by Hope Foster, R.N. who is the Diabetes Educator. Participants
must re-enroll each year by providing proof of their continued eligibility.
Potential participants or those wanting to re-enroll must call to make an
appointment for the application process. Walk-ins are also welcome.
Indigent Burial Claims
Lea County provides financial
assistance for the decent cremation and/or interment of indigent county
residents. Applications are available at each funeral home or at the Indigent
Claims office in the Lea County Courthouse.