More than half a million New Mexicans could benefit immediately if health care reform passes Congress and is signed into law by President Barack Obama, according to a report by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The report is available on HealthReform.gov.

According to the administration’s figures, if health insurance reform passes, “434,000 residents [of New Mexico] who do not currently have insurance and 98,000 residents who have nongroup insurance could get affordable coverage through the health insurance exchange.”

“Families, seniors and businesses are all suffering under the health care status quo,” said HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. “Our new reports demonstrate how health insurance reform will improve health care for all Americans.”

The report says that if nothing is done to reform health care, the number of uninsured will increase by 30 percent in 29 states and at least ten percent in every state.

According to Gallup, New Mexico has the 2nd highest rate of uninsured residents.

The U.S. Census found in September that 468,000 New Mexicans are uninsured.