ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – The governor is using a healthcare initiative to bring more professionals from Texas to the Land of Enchantment.
Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham said the “Free to Provide” campaign is now in Texas, encouraging doctors and other medical workers to consider moving to New Mexico where they can provide their services without the added regulations.
In July, six billboards with the slogan “Free to Provide” went up around the Houston Medical Center, and on Sunday, several full-page advertisements were printed in publications like the Houston Chronicle, Dallas Morning News, and the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
In her letter, the governor addresses the challenges that many healthcare workers face in the Lone Star State and invites them to freely treat their patients in New Mexico. Read the full letter below.
Dear Texas healthcare providers,
I know that legal restrictions on healthcare in Texas have created a heavy burden for medical practitioners––especially those of you now barred by law from providing the full spectrum of reproductive healthcare. It must be distressing that a draconian abortion ban has restricted your right to practice and turned it into a political weapon.
When you pledged to dedicate your lives to medicine, you did so with the understanding that the health and well-being of your patients would always be your priority. You took your oath with patients––not politicians––in mind.
I certainly respect those of you who remain committed to caring for patients in Texas, but I also invite those of you who can no longer tolerate these restrictions to consider practicing next door in New Mexico. We’re fiercely committed to protecting medical freedoms here and we’re taking steps to ensure that what happened in Texas never happens in New Mexico.
New Mexico is a terrific place to live and work, boasting stunning natural beauty, a temperate climate, and a collegial and highly professional medical community. We’ve always taken pride in protecting what makes us unique, and that includes protecting women’s health and abortion access. You have my word: I will never interfere with the fundamental right of health workers to care for their patients in New Mexico.
Whether you are a nurse, a resident, a physician assistant, or a doctor, we cordially and enthusiastically invite you to the Land of Enchantment, where you are free to care for your patients.
In solidarity,
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham
