The governor of New Mexico on Sunday announced an initiative intended to lure Texas doctors and other medical professionals to relocate to her state.
New Mexico’s Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham aimed this effort specifically at those medical professionals impacted by Texas’ abortion ban.
In a letter published as a full-page advertisement in the Sunday editions of the San Antonio Express-News and newspapers in Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth and Houston, Lujan Grisham launched the “Free to Provide” campaign to promote New Mexico’s commitment to providing complete health care, including abortion access.
The campaign also uses billboards to share the message.
On Sunday, Lujan Grisham posted on social media, “This ain’t Texas,” a reference to the popular country crossover song by Beyonce. “Here, you’re free to provide and practice what you were trained to do in medical school.”
And in a separate post, she said that physicians can work in her state “without interference from politicians or police.”
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The “Free to Provide” website includes varied resources, including information about job opportunities, scholarship opportunities, and a brief guide to cultural events and sights around the state.
The governor’s office maintains that “Free to Provide” is part of a broader effort to improve healthcare in New Mexico with competitive incentives.
It’s a smart idea. We’ve seen plenty of stories about how states with abortion bans are finding it hard to attract and retain doctors. Not just OB-GYNs, either, but all kinds of doctors. It’s easy to understand why, and while I think there’s a limit to this, there’s no reason why a state like New Mexico shouldn’t be out there waving their credentials in front of any MD that might be rethinking their future. I hope someone tracks the data on this, I’d love to see what the effect is in a year or two.