Posted at: 06/29/2009 7:46 PM
By: The Associated Press

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Pared-down Health Policy Commission gets new head

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) - New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson has named a state Department of Health official to oversee the Health Policy Commission, which faces deep cuts in the budget year that begins Wednesday.

Sam Howarth will continue as the director of policy and performance at the Department of Health while directing the work of the commission, a separate state agency that researches health policy issues and makes recommendations.

The Legislature cut the commission's budget by about one-third for the upcoming year, to $811,000. Howarth replaces Liz Stefanics, who resigned in March as director of the commission.

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