Co-Chair of Joint Health Care Reform Oversight Committee Invites Governor Hassan to Explain Status of MOU

CONCORD – Today John B. Hunt (R-Rindge), Co-Chair of the Joint Health Care Reform Oversight Committee, hand delivered the following letter to Governor Hassan’s office, inviting her to attend the committee’s meeting Tuesday morning. In prior communication with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Governor referenced explicitly that, “This letter of intent is provided with the understanding that the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) governing the expectations, roles and responsibilities of the State of New Hampshire in a Partnership Exchange will not impose a cost on the state's general fund or create new state programs.” It is the impression of Rep. Hunt and of others on the Joint Health Care Reform Oversight Committee that despite previous commitments, an MOU is no longer being pursued.

The letter is attached and reads as follows:

Governor Margaret Hassan

State House
107 North Main Street
Concord, NH 03301

April 8^th, 2013

Your Excellency,

As you are aware, the Joint Health Care Reform Oversight Committee will be meeting at 8:00A.M. on Tuesday, April 8, in room 302 of the LOB.  The committee is planning to review and possibly approve the MOU between the State of New Hampshire and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services as referenced in your letter of intent to the Secretary on February 13, 2012.  (“This letter of intent is provided with the understanding that the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) governing the expectations, roles, and responsibilities of the State of New Hampshire in a Partnership Exchange will not impose a cost on the state’s general fund or create new state programs.”)

Unfortunately, we have been unable to obtain a copy of the MOU from your staff or the Department of Insurance after repeated requests.  Most recently they have informed us they have unilaterally decided not to execute an MOU despite approval of the partnership letter which included the requirement of a MOU, as well as your previous commitment to work in collaboration with the state legislature on such a document to ensure that New Hampshire maintains flexibility and taxpayers are protected financially.  If true, this is very troubling development. 

Like you, we wish to work collaboratively with the executive branch to ensure that if New Hampshire moves forward with a Partnership Exchange we do so in a way that promotes preservation of private health insurance to the greatest degree possible, minimizes overhead and administrative expenses of the exchange, promotes competition and consumer choice, and preserves the state’s insurance regulatory authority and the state’s flexibility in determining Medicaid eligibility standards, program design, and operations.  That is exactly what the MOU is supposed to help us do. 

Therefore, as co-chairman of the Joint Health Care Reform Oversight Committee I am respectfully requesting that you attend our meeting on April 8^th so that we can discuss the status of the MOU and the process for moving forward.  If due to the late date of this letter you are unable to attend please send whoever in your office is authorized to discuss this issue on your behalf.

Respectfully,

Rep. John Hunt

NHDP Chairman Raymond Buckley's Statement on the Swearing in of Representative Bill O'Neil

Concord - New Hampshire Democratic Party Chair Ray Buckley released the following statement on the swearing in of state Representative Bill O'Neil.  O'Neil won last month's special election in Manchester Ward 2.

"Congratulations to Representative O'Neil.  I am excited to see him join Governor Hassan, and House and Senate Democrats in Concord who are working to help build a more innovative economy for New Hampshire and repair the damage done by the reckless Bradley-O'Brien legislature.  Their Republican majority made the largest cut to public higher education in the American history.

"His swearing in today is a reminder that Manchester's voters soundly rejected the Republican agenda of attacking unions, women, students and seniors, in favor of a Democratic candidate.  With Jennifer Horn leading Kelly Ayotte's Republican Party, they have turned their back on traditional New Hampshire values in a desire to become the face and voice of the Tea Party and radical social conservatives."

NH Senate Finance Chairman Morse Statement on Passage of House Budget Bills

The New Hampshire Senate

Majority Office

Senate Finance Chairman Chuck Morse (R-Salem) issued the following statement today after House passage of HB1 and HB2, the biennial budget bills:

“While it represents an improvement over the Governor’s original budget submission, the House’s budget still increases spending by nearly a billion dollars while relying on inflated revenues.  Between inflated Medicaid Enhancement Tax (MET) revenues – which were criticized by the state’s hospitals – as well as increases in the gas tax, tobacco tax and others, the House budget looks to spend millions of dollars in revenues the Senate will not approve and the state should not expect.  I also have concerns with a number of policies included in the House budget, such as allowing the Governor significant latitude to raid dedicated funds as well as the suspensions of the newly enacted school building aid program and job-fostering business tax reductions.

“Beginning next week, Senate Finance will take a fresh look at the budget in an effort to create a document that funds state government within our means while protecting the reforms implemented last session.  At this time, one thing the House can do to make that process slightly easier would be to take up and pass SB152, which would provide the state with millions in non-tax revenue allowing us to fund our priorities, from education to infrastructure, without increasing taxes on New Hampshire citizens.”

NH House Republican Press Conference on Budget 4/1

What: Members of House Republican Leadership and members of House Finance will discuss their concerns regarding the budget. 

When: Monday, April 1^st

Time: 11:30am

Where: Legislative Office Building Lobby

NH House Republican Leaders Comment on Passage of Gas Tax Increase

CONCORD – Today House Republican Leader Gene Chandler (R-Bartlett) and House Republican Policy Leader Laurie Sanborn (R-Bedford) offered the following comments on the passage of HB617, a bill that would raise the gas tax by 12 cents. The bill passed by a vote of 206-158.

House Republican Leader Gene Chandler (R-Bartlett)

“Before we start imposing huge tax increases we need to make sure we are complying with all current state laws and constitutional provisions to assure that the current and future gas tax revenues go towards roads and bridges. Without this fix, we are just growing government on the backs of the highway fund users.”

“Taking hundreds of millions of dollars out of the pockets of New Hampshire consumers during these tough economic times is not the appropriate solution to fixing our roads and bridges. Quite simply, this is the wrong bill at the wrong time.”

House Republican Policy Leader Laurie Sanborn (R-Bedford)

“This is yet another tax increase on the backs of those who can least afford it. We are very concerned about the impact of a gas tax increase on the working families and small businesses in our state during these tough economic times. Now is not the time to be discouraging economic growth. We need to focus on getting the 40,000 people in New Hampshire who are looking for work back to work. Further burdening our business community and forcing our consumers to pay more at the pump is a step in the wrong direction."