2009 New Mexico Statutes
Chapter 27 - Public Assistance.
Article 5 - Indigent Hospital and County Health Care
Section 27-5-14 - Board to recover costs; presumption of payment.

27-5-14. Board to recover costs; presumption of payment.

A.     The payment of any claim to an ambulance service, a hospital or health care provider on behalf of an indigent patient creates a preferred claim in favor of the fund against the estate of the indigent patient and a lien against all real property or interest in real property vested in or later acquired by the indigent patient or any person legally responsible for his debts for the amount of the payment made from the fund to the ambulance service, hospital or health care provider, without interest.  Such claims shall be preferred over all claims except charges of the last sickness and funeral of the deceased and allowances made by the court for the maintenance of the widow and children, taxes, municipal levies, cost of administration and attorneys' fees.   

B.     Proceeds recovered from such claims shall be placed into the fund.   

C.     The board shall file a certificate of payment to the ambulance service, hospital or health care provider on behalf of the indigent patient. The certificate shall constitute notice to the public that the lien created by the Indigent Hospital and County Health Care Act [27-5-1 NMSA 1978] has attached.  County clerks shall receive, index and file certificates and releases of liens created by the certificate, free of charge.   

D.     In all cases where a lien has been created under Subsection A of this section and a period of fourteen years has passed from the date the lien was created by the payment of any claim to an ambulance service, a hospital or health care provider on behalf of an indigent patient, the payment for which the lien is claimed shall be discharged due to the passage of time and the board shall file a certificate releasing the lien due to the lapse of time.