Closing Date: 31st July, 2026
Description:
Salary$40.28 - $64.45 Hourly
$83,790 - $134,063 Annually
This position is a Pay Band C11
Posting Details
This posting will be used for ongoing recruitment and may close at any time. Applicant lists may be screened more than once.
This job posting may be used to fill multiple vacancies.
The New Mexico Health Care Authority (HCA) is a state agency that provides comprehensive, accessible, and high-quality health care services to New Mexico residents. The agency is responsible for managing key services such as Medicaid, SNAP, TANF, and LIHEAP, ensuring uninterrupted support and care for New Mexicans.
Our Vision:
Every New Mexican has access to affordable health care coverage through a coordinated and seamless health care system.
Our Mission:
We ensure that New Mexicans attain their highest level of health by providing whole-person, cost-effective, accessible, and high-quality health care and safety-net services.
Our Goals
Why does the job exist?
This position exists to protect New Mexico's developmentally disabled, medically fragile, and other vulnerable citizens who find themselves needing health care support in a variety of licensed health care facilities or utilizing home or community based care. These Department of Health Improvement (DHI) Attorneys will focus primarily on supporting DHI.
All attorneys in the Health Care Authority (HCA) Office of General Counsel are invited to explore interests and legal work related to any of our divisions and programs. Our legal work touches nearly half of our citizens lives. The divisions of HCA provide programs critical to the health and well-being of our state including Medicaid, SNAP, TANF, behavioral health programs and services, a comprehensive system of support for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and the licensing and oversight of healthcare facilities as well as home and community based Medicaid waiver program providers. The range of work performed by the HCA means that Office of General counsel (OGC) attorneys have an opportunity to work in a wide variety of areas of healthcare and public health law including historic innovations and reforms.
How does it get done?
A major responsibility of DHI attorneys is the administrative prosecution of CNAs and other employees of health care facilities as well as home and community based Medicaid waiver programs. Specifically, any non-licensed employee accused of substantiated claims of abuse, neglect and exploitation are referred for placement on the Employee Abuse Registry to ensure they can no longer access our most vulnerable citizens by seeking employment at another health care facility. Those employees have a right to request an appeal hearing prior to placement on the registry and attorneys represent the agency in those hearings. DHI attorneys also provide guidance to the Caregivers Criminal History Screening Program and make suggestions of statutory and regulatory amendments that could strengthen the effectiveness of our regulatory oversight.
The work within the OGC depends on each attorneys skills and interests and can span the entire range of attorney skills and functions including litigation in state and federal court, appearing at administrative hearings, contract review, licensing and regulatory enforcement, rule-making, strategy and planning, appellate work, creating procedures to implement new legislative mandates, and public records responses. Attorneys are responsible for tracking their deadlines, managing a variety of matters, and prioritizing their time based on internal client needs.
Who are the customers?
Attorneys in OCG work directly and collaboratively with their internal division clients. These attorneys will focus primarily on supporting the Division of Health Improvement. All attorneys in OGC are supervised by the HCA Acting Chief General Counsel, Bob Booth.
Ideal Candidate:
The Ideal Candidate will be former criminal prosecutors or attorneys who have worked in regulatory enforcement are ideal but not a necessity if you have strong skills and experiences in other areas and are excited to learn new subject matter. Our ideal candidate is passionate about supporting the health and well-being of all New Mexicans and protecting our State's safety net services. While attorneys directly serve internal agency clients, they must never forget they are ultimately serving the citizens of the state of New Mexico. Strong research, technology, organizational, and client communication skills are a must.
Minimum Qualification:
Juris Doctorate degree from an accredited school of law. Must be licensed as an attorney by the Supreme Court of New Mexico or qualified to apply for limited practice license (Rules 15-301.1 and 15-301.2 NMRA). For more information on limited practice licenses, please visit http://nmexam.org/limited-license/.
Employment Requirements:
All Attorney classifications must be and remain licensed as an attorney, in good standing, by the Supreme Court of New Mexico, or licensed as an attorney and in good standing by the highest court of another state and eligible pursuant to the limited license provisions (See Rules 15-301.1 and 15-301.2 NMRA).
Must possess and maintain a valid Driver's License.
Must obtain a Defensive Driving Certificate.
Employment is subject to a pre-employment criminal history background investigation and is conditional pending results.
Working Conditions:
Work is performed in an office setting: late hours, weekends, on-call and callback work may be required. Will be exposed to regular periods of video display terminal and keyboard usage and stressful situations. Travel is required. Possible exposure to irate clientele. Incumbent will work under stress and frequent time constraints.
Supplemental Information:
Do you know what Total Compensation is? Click here (http://www.spo.state.nm.us/total-compensation.aspx)
Agency Contact Information: Ashtyn Lopez, (505) 695-8977. Email (ashtyn.lopez@hca.nm.gov)
For information on Statutory Requirements for this position, click the Classification Description link on the job advertisement.
Bargaining Unit Position:
This position is not covered by a collective bargaining agreement.
- Leverage purchasing power and partnerships to create innovative policies and models of comprehensive health care coverage that improve the health and well-being of New Mexicans and the workforce.
- Achieve health equity by addressing poverty, discrimination, and lack of resources, building a New Mexico where everyone thrives.
- Implement innovative technology and data-driven decision-making to provide unparalleled, convenient access to services and information.
- Build the best team in state government by supporting employees' continuous growth and wellness.
This position exists to protect New Mexico's developmentally disabled, medically fragile, and other vulnerable citizens who find themselves needing health care support in a variety of licensed health care facilities or utilizing home or community based care. These Department of Health Improvement (DHI) Attorneys will focus primarily on supporting DHI.
All attorneys in the Health Care Authority (HCA) Office of General Counsel are invited to explore interests and legal work related to any of our divisions and programs. Our legal work touches nearly half of our citizens lives. The divisions of HCA provide programs critical to the health and well-being of our state including Medicaid, SNAP, TANF, behavioral health programs and services, a comprehensive system of support for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and the licensing and oversight of healthcare facilities as well as home and community based Medicaid waiver program providers. The range of work performed by the HCA means that Office of General counsel (OGC) attorneys have an opportunity to work in a wide variety of areas of healthcare and public health law including historic innovations and reforms.
How does it get done?
A major responsibility of DHI attorneys is the administrative prosecution of CNAs and other employees of health care facilities as well as home and community based Medicaid waiver programs. Specifically, any non-licensed employee accused of substantiated claims of abuse, neglect and exploitation are referred for placement on the Employee Abuse Registry to ensure they can no longer access our most vulnerable citizens by seeking employment at another health care facility. Those employees have a right to request an appeal hearing prior to placement on the registry and attorneys represent the agency in those hearings. DHI attorneys also provide guidance to the Caregivers Criminal History Screening Program and make suggestions of statutory and regulatory amendments that could strengthen the effectiveness of our regulatory oversight.
The work within the OGC depends on each attorneys skills and interests and can span the entire range of attorney skills and functions including litigation in state and federal court, appearing at administrative hearings, contract review, licensing and regulatory enforcement, rule-making, strategy and planning, appellate work, creating procedures to implement new legislative mandates, and public records responses. Attorneys are responsible for tracking their deadlines, managing a variety of matters, and prioritizing their time based on internal client needs.
Who are the customers?
Attorneys in OCG work directly and collaboratively with their internal division clients. These attorneys will focus primarily on supporting the Division of Health Improvement. All attorneys in OGC are supervised by the HCA Acting Chief General Counsel, Bob Booth.
Ideal Candidate:
The Ideal Candidate will be former criminal prosecutors or attorneys who have worked in regulatory enforcement are ideal but not a necessity if you have strong skills and experiences in other areas and are excited to learn new subject matter. Our ideal candidate is passionate about supporting the health and well-being of all New Mexicans and protecting our State's safety net services. While attorneys directly serve internal agency clients, they must never forget they are ultimately serving the citizens of the state of New Mexico. Strong research, technology, organizational, and client communication skills are a must.
Minimum Qualification:
Juris Doctorate degree from an accredited school of law. Must be licensed as an attorney by the Supreme Court of New Mexico or qualified to apply for limited practice license (Rules 15-301.1 and 15-301.2 NMRA). For more information on limited practice licenses, please visit http://nmexam.org/limited-license/.
Employment Requirements:
All Attorney classifications must be and remain licensed as an attorney, in good standing, by the Supreme Court of New Mexico, or licensed as an attorney and in good standing by the highest court of another state and eligible pursuant to the limited license provisions (See Rules 15-301.1 and 15-301.2 NMRA).
Must possess and maintain a valid Driver's License.
Must obtain a Defensive Driving Certificate.
Employment is subject to a pre-employment criminal history background investigation and is conditional pending results.
Working Conditions:
Work is performed in an office setting: late hours, weekends, on-call and callback work may be required. Will be exposed to regular periods of video display terminal and keyboard usage and stressful situations. Travel is required. Possible exposure to irate clientele. Incumbent will work under stress and frequent time constraints.
Supplemental Information:
Do you know what Total Compensation is? Click here (http://www.spo.state.nm.us/total-compensation.aspx)
Agency Contact Information: Ashtyn Lopez, (505) 695-8977. Email (ashtyn.lopez@hca.nm.gov)
For information on Statutory Requirements for this position, click the Classification Description link on the job advertisement.
Bargaining Unit Position:
This position is not covered by a collective bargaining agreement.
