NHDP - House Republican Plan Would Kick Over 1500 NH Kids Off of Their Health Insurance

Radical Republican proposal would slash Health Silver program, bill would make health care less affordable, accessible to low income NH families

 
CONCORD -  New Hampshire House Republicans have introduced legislation (HB 1283) to dramatically curtail access to the state's Health Silver program.  The proposal would cut more than 1500 children from a health care plan that provides low income families with access to affordable health insurance.   
 
"The radical House Republican proposal would be devastating for New Hampshire families," said Derek Richer, press secretary for the New Hampshire Democratic Party.  "People are struggling and reducing access to affordable health care for children from low income families is completely irresponsible."
 
"Kicking 1500 children off of their health insurance would be a disaster," continued Richer. "House Republicans should stop trying to rewrite the budget with reckless cuts that target the state's most vulnerable citizens."
 
"Governor Lynch and legislative Democrats worked hard to balance the budget while protecting essential services like these.  Republicans should come to the table and work with Democrats on real solutions that both address the economic challenges we face and protect working families," Richer added.
 
House Republicans have introduced a series of measures that slash access to medical care in New Hampshire.  In addition to HB 1283 that rolls back the Health Silver program, House Republicans have also introduced legislation to slash Medicaid.  This proposal (HB 1587) would eliminate access to a wide range of essential services for poor seniors, the mentally disabled, and handicapped individuals including funding for prescription drug coverage, wheelchair vans and mental health care, among other services.

The legislation (HB1587) would also eliminate the state's home-and-community-based care program, forcing seniors out of their homes into more expensive nursing homes. And it would eliminate funding for home-based programs for people with developmental disabilities and acquired brain injuries, forcing them into more expensive care.

"The drastic health care cuts proposed by House Republicans just goes to show how truly out of touch they are with the people of New Hampshire," continued Richer.  "While legislative Democrats are working hard to improve the lives of everyone in the New Hampshire, Republicans want to return the state to the Dark Ages."

NH DHHS Receives Federal Grant That Will Help Expand Electronic Application System

Concord, NH – The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Division of Family Assistance (DFA) is receiving a federal grant in the amount of $782,275 to improve the way residents apply for and recertify their Food Stamp benefits. The US Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Services is awarding the 2009 Participation Grant to seven states with focus on improving retention of benefits at the point of recertification and promoting partnerships with local non-profit agencies.

“DHHS is delighted to have been awarded this grant,” said DHHS Commissioner Nicholas Toumpas. “This grant will fund expansion of a system whereby people can apply for food stamps from home over the Internet instead of having to come into our local offices. Clients will also be able to renew their benefits this way."

This expansion coincides with Commissioner Toumpas’ efforts to improve the way New Hampshire residents apply for and access DHHS’services. Through an initiative known as ACCES (Achieving Community Centered Excellence in Services) Front Door, DHHS is working to make the application and recertification processes easier, increase efficiencies and customer satisfaction, reduce errors, and reduce the time period between applying for assistance and receipt of benefits. ACCES Front Door utilizes technology and virtual self-service as the instrument to make the application process faster, easier and more economic for the public.

“Food Stamp cases are increasing by a record thousand each month,” said DFA Director Terry Smith. “Moreover, each case needs to be ‘renewed’ every six months, so the increased workload is staggering. Since we don’t have the resources to hire additional staff to assist in the increase in demand, we’re finding innovative ways to adapt to the times.”

DHHS is partnering with two organizations to launch a pilot program to implement an expansion of NH’s electronic application system known as NH EASY. The partnering organizations are the New Hampshire Local Welfare Administrators Association and Southern New Hampshire Services, Inc. These organizations will house self-service kiosks at select locations around the state, in addition to kiosks to be installed at some DFA District Offices.

In addition to food stamps, this new process will serve other DFA programs, such as Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Medicaid and Healthy Kids.