A. The secretary shall create the “primary care council” to:

(1)     develop a shared description of primary care practitioners and services; (2)     analyze annually the proportion of health care delivery expenditures allocated to primary care statewide;

(3)     review national and state models of optimal primary care investment with the objectives of increasing access to primary care, improving the quality of primary care services and lowering the cost of primary care delivery statewide;

(4)     review New Mexico state and county data and information about barriers to accessing primary care services faced by New Mexico residents;

(5)     recommend policies, regulations and legislation to increase access to primary care, improve the quality of primary care services and lower the cost of primary care delivery while reducing overall health care costs;

(6)     coordinate efforts with the graduate medical education expansion review board and other primary care workforce development initiatives to devise a plan that addresses primary care workforce shortages within the state;

(7)     report annually to the interim legislative health and human services committee and the legislative finance committee on ways that primary care investment could increase access to primary care, improve the quality of primary care services, lower the cost of primary care delivery, address the shortage of primary care providers and reduce overall health care costs; and

(8)     develop and present to the secretary a five-year plan to determine how primary care investment could increase access to primary care, improve the quality of primary care services, lower the cost of primary care delivery, address the shortage of primary care providers and reduce overall health care costs.

B. The primary care council shall include nine voting members and thirteen advisory members, appointed by the secretary, and shall consist of:

(1)     one member from the department;

(2)     one member from the department of health;

(3)     one member from the office of superintendent of insurance;

(4)     one member from a statewide organization representing federally qualified health centers in New Mexico;

(5)     five members from statewide organizations representing primary care providers or statewide health professional societies or associations; and

(6)     thirteen nonvoting members representing health care and other stakeholders, in an advisory capacity.

C. The chair of the primary care council shall be elected by the voting members of the council.

D. The council shall meet at the call of the chair.

E. Members of the council shall not be paid per diem and mileage or other compensation for their services.

F. The secretary shall provide staff support for the council in the performance of its duties.

G. A simple majority of the voting members of the council constitutes a quorum. H. The council shall hold its first meeting no later than October 1, 2021.