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WASHINGTON — Gasoline prices might get the headlines, but it's health care that's taking an ever-larger chunk out of many New Mexicans' pockets, according to a new study released in Washington.

One in four New Mexicans under the age of 65, about 465,000 people, live in families that will spend more than 10 percent of their pre-tax income in 2008 on health insurance premiums, co-pays, deductibles and non-covered services, said Families USA, a consumer health group that usually favors government health programs.

That's nearly 60 percent higher than in 2000, said the study, which used U.S. Census and Health and Human Services data to come up with the projections.

And nearly one-third of the group, 152,000 New Mexicans, are in families who will spend more than 25 percent of their income on health care, the study said. That number rose by 61,000 since 2000.

Release of the study Wednesday came as President Bush vetoed the second attempt by Congress to expand the State Children's Health Insurance Program from 6 million children to 10 million children. New Mexico officials said the boost would add 11,000 children to the 19,000 now covered.

Sen. Jeff Bingaman, a Silver City Democrat, criticized the veto.

He added, "This Families USA report shows that rising health care costs are clearly becoming untenable for many New Mexicans. I strongly believe Congress must address this crisis and ensure all Americans have access to meaningful and affordable health coverage."

Ron Pollack, executive director of Families USA, said the percentage of New Mexicans with a high burden of health care costs, 27 percent, is slightly higher than the average of all states, 23 percent.

Pollack stressed that most of these families have health insurance but work for companies that are asking employees to take on a larger share of health care costs.

"If this troubling trend continues, the health care affordability crisis will get much worse, and many more New Mexicans will be come uninsured and underinsured," Pollack said. "The high health care costs faced by families are a clear indication that insurance simply no longer offers the protection that America's families need."