Health care reform this session?

Health care reform was supposed to happen last year and didn't. Gov. Bill Richardson at the time promised to try again. But has that idea gone by the wayside?

A little.

With the budget as it is, don't expect big changes this year. However, you should anticipate attempts by advocates and lawmakers to get more people covered by health insurance and to make medical records available electronically.

This morning, members of Richardson's administration will brief the media on the details of their legislative package this session, so we'll see what all is in there. 

Meanwhile, others say to expect the Health Security Act to be introduced Tuesday. That's the bill that would automatically cover most residents in a large insurance pool, and would mean that insurances companies would provide supplementary coverage.

The plan would be administered by "an independent, non-governmental, geographically representative commission," according to a press release from the Health Security for New Mexicans Campaign.