NH Senate - GOP Members of Joint Health Care Oversight Committee Call Out Governor Hassan on Broken Promises and Lack of Transparency

The New Hampshire Senate

Majority Office

Concord, NH - Republican members of the Joint Health Care Reform Oversight Committee today issued the following statements after disclosure from Governor Hassan’s office as well as the Department of Insurance that her administration would no longer be pursuing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the federal government with regards to the implementation of the Health Care Exchange Partnership as was originally promised to the committee last month.  The Hassan Administration has instead indicated an intention to move forward with the proposed partnership without an agreed upon MOU.

Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Andy Sanborn (R-Bedford) said:

“The Governor’s suggestion that she can single-handedly implement ObamaCare in New Hampshire without a contract or MOU of how the federal government is going to take over providing insurance to New Hampshire citizens is astonishing.  The Affordable Care Act (ACA) will forever change how insurance is provided to the people of this state and the Governor’s office is now deliberately pulling back on a promise to be transparent and disrespecting the legislative process.  This act of purposefully withholding details on ACA implementation only further suggests the Governor and Washington bureaucrats do not want the legislature, taxpayers, or small business owners to know the details or costs of this expansion.  New Hampshire government does not operate under the cover of darkness, and the Governor needs to bring an MOU to the Oversight Committee, as promised, showing a complete, detailed plan of how she intends to implement this costly venture.”

Senate Majority Leader Jeb Bradley (R-Wolfeboro) said:

“I am extremely disappointed that, after promising legislative oversight, Governor Hassan is seemingly reneging on that promise.  I am concerned a Health Care Exchange partnership will not protect taxpayers, will increase consumer confusion, and subvert New Hampshire sovereignty.  Those concerns are heightened when it appears the Governor’s office is choosing to not layout the next steps of this process in a MOU as they had earlier indicated they would.”

Representative John Hunt (R-Cheshire 11) said:

“After listening to the presentation from the Executive Branch, I conceded to considering the state enter into a partnership exchange to protect New Hampshire’s interests, specifically because the Governor’s office committed to providing an MOU to our committee which would provide complete details on how the ACA would be implemented.  Now that the Governor has refused to share an MOU, the people of this state have no idea on the cost, timing, affects and options associated with how the exchange, partnership and plan management will be enacted and operated.  It is exceptionally disturbing to see the Governor attempt to implement the ACA, void of real, honest transparency on this important issue and I do hope the Governor reconsiders such a reckless action knowing how much money, time and effort is at stake here.”

Note: The next meeting of the Joint Health Care Reform Oversight Committee is scheduled for Tuesday, April 9^th at 8:00AM.

Heritage - Update on Obamacare Costs, Marriage Debate, & Immigration

The Dangerous Allure of Medicaid Expansion

How will your state fare if your governor chooses to expand Medicare? A few states would save money when the federal government kicks in their share, but most would lose money. Regardless of whether the state or federal government pays, the massive increase in spending will ultimately be borne by you, the taxpayer. Read analyst Drew Gonshorowski's analysis of the impacts of expansion on your state in his blog post. And, check out how your own state will fare.

Obamacare Drives Up Health Care Prices

The first cost estimate of Obamacare came in at $898 billion, but after the law was passed the government revised the cost to a figure nearly double that, or $1.85 trillion. On the third anniversary of the passage of the health care law analyst Alyene Senger explains in her blog post the increasing costs and what we're likely to face in the future. Even thought the worst tax increases and mandates don't go into effect until next year, Heritage created a collection of infographics that depict the impacts Americans are already feeling because of this new law. 

Heritage's Marriage Expert Debates Piers Morgan 

Ryan Anderson, co-author of the book "What is Marriage," debated Piers Morgan and Suze Orman on CNN. Watch Anderson as he maintains his composure and sticks to the facts while facing a hostile host and studio audience. Learn his arguments by reading  "What You Need to Know About Marriage."

What is the Definition of Amnesty in the Immigration Debate?

Americans recognize the vital importance of lawful immigration in part because it brings important economic and cultural benefits to the country and to the immigrants. Congress should encourage lawful immigration and discourage amnesty, which discourages respect for the law, treats law-breakers better than law-followers, and encourages future unlawful immigration. Learn more about the history of amnesty programs and what immigration policies actually work by reading Heritage Senior Vice President David Addington's Backgrounder, Encouraging Lawful Immigration and Discouraging Unlawful Immigration.

Upcoming Events

Resource Bank Registration Deadline     April 1               Register Here

Resource Bank Meeting                          April 24-26

ALG's Daily Grind - No Budget, No Pay was a failure

March 29, 2013

No Budget, No Pay was a failure

House Speaker John Boehner: "we've used our limited power in Washington to maximum effect, and shown the Democratic majority what leadership looks like."

Cartoon: Pain in the Butt

Obamacare increases insurance premium costs despite promises.

The Perversion of Freedom

The idea of freedom has been twisted and diluted to mean hedonism. 

Chokshi: There's Nothing to Fear But the Debt Itself

"Federal interest payments are projected to grow faster over the next decade than any other broad category of expenditures, outpacing spending on Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security."

NHDP - On Third Anniversary, Heath Care Reform Continues to Save Money and Save Lives in New Hampshire

Concord - This past weekend marked the third anniversary of the Affordable Care Act becoming law.  Already health care reform has helped Granite Staters save money and live healthier lives.  Specifically, it has:

• Expanded preventative care coverage with no cost-sharing for 365,000 Granite Staters with private health insurance in 2012, including 253,000 women. While more than 160,000 New Hampshire citizen on traditional Medicare also accessed free preventative care services [healthcare.gov].
• Closed the Medicare Part D 'Doughnut Hole' and strengthened Medicare for Granite State senior citizens.  More than 12,000 New Hampshire seniors are on average saving over $660 per person annually [healthcare.gov].
• Provided access to insurance to 10,000 Granite Staters who would otherwise have been uninsured under the age of 26 through their parents' health plans [healthcare.gov]. 
• Protected more than 900,000 New Hampshire citizens with private insurance from the insurance industry's worst practices like arbitrarily capping or canceling benefits. 
• Insured more than 600 previously uninsured Granite Staters who were refused coverage because of a preexisting condition [healthcare.gov].
• Provided tax credits to thousands of New Hampshire Small businesses who offer employees health insurance helping them hire and grow.

This year, after spiraling out of control for decades health care cost increases are down.  In January, health care cost inflation dropped to 1.5%, one of the lowest rates on record.  In 2012, the readmission rates for Medicare patients dropped - saving approximately 70,000 American seniors from unnecessarily returning to a hospital. [WhiteHouse.gov]

Looking forward, the Affordable Care Act continues to expand access to affordable health care options.  In several months, Granite Staters who previously had trouble accessing affordable health care coverage will be able to enroll in a health care exchange and purchase health insurance in a more organized and competitive market place - with coverage taking effect in 2014.  Also in 2013, Medicare Advantage beneficiaries will have broader health care options through access to 21 more high-quality plans than were available last year. [WhiteHouse.gov] 

For more information about the Affordable Care Act visit http://www.healthcare.gov and stay turned to the New Hampshire Democratic Party's Facebook and Twitter feeds.  All this week, the New Hampshire Democratic Party will be sharing facts about how the ACA is helping Granite Staters save money and live healthier lives.

HRA Comments on HB271 Expanding Medicaid

Democrats’ Medicaid Vote Today Dooms N.H. Taxpayers to Millions in New Expenses
Short-Term Payout Will Cost the State Long Term When Future Legislature Faces Revenue Shortfall
 
CONCORD, N.H.—With their hands recklessly reaching out for federal tax dollars with no regard for the consequences, New Hampshire House Democrats voted to doom the state to about $100 million per year in additional Medicaid costs starting at the end of the decade, according to Pam Tucker, co-chairman of the N.H. House Republican Alliance (HRA).
 
“New Hampshire voters should be aware that their State Legislature had an opportunity today to pass HB 271 and prevent millions of dollars of optional state Medicaid costs, but House Democrats couldn’t resist a short-term handout from Washington and voted to kill the bill,” Tucker said. “Because of this, more New Hampshire residents will be stuck with long lines and limited options for medical care under the expanded Medicaid system, and a decreasing number of New Hampshire taxpayers will have to spend more of their hard-earned dollars to cover the cost.”
 
Written in response to the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling that Congress cannot force states to accept major expansions to optional federal programs, HB 271 would have prevented Obamacare’s Medicaid expansion provisions from taking hold in New Hampshire. Because it didn’t pass, about 62,200 more New Hampshire citizens are expected to enroll in Medicaid by 2020, which is the same year the state will have to pay more toward the expanded program that covers everyone who earns up to 138 percent of the federal poverty level. The expansion is expected to cost New Hampshire $15 million per year leading up to 2020, and then at least $50 million to $100 million per year thereafter.
 
If the federal government decides to reduce its promised grants for the expanded Medicaid program, as it has for its promised contribution to the special education program, the burden on New Hampshire taxpayers could be even more dramatic. For the special education program, federal contributions have hovered around 15 percent in most years despite the initial promise of 40 percent per year in 1975. Whether the Medicaid money materializes or not; however, N.H. taxpayers will be hit with higher costs of government with no measurable benefit to society at large.
 
“Perhaps hospitals will make more money as they pass the costs of this Medicaid expansion on to patients who use health insurance, and health insurance firms will benefit by raising their premiums, but don’t let anyone tell you that new Medicaid enrollees will be happy with the result of the Democrats’ vote today,” Tucker said. “Medicaid is a bare-bones medical payer system that is not accepted by some of the state’s providers. The expansion of this government-run program does nothing other than increase the costs of medical care for the meager benefit of a few. Ultimately, the cost of the expansion will destroy opportunities for job creation and stifle the economy.”
 
Due to political pressure from special interest groups and the dollars involved, it will be difficult for New Hampshire to opt-out of the Medicaid expansion once it is underway, but it will still be legally possible.
 
“The year 2020 is just around the corner, and New Hampshire already struggles to pay for the entitlement programs we have today,” Tucker said. “The 2014 election could be the last chance New Hampshire voters have of stopping this expense, but they have to be diligent in electing Republicans who will honor their oath to the state and federal constitutions and stand by the principles of limited government and liberty.”