NH DHHS Releases Study on Medicaid Expansion

Concord, NH – The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services

(DHHS) will hold a briefing on Thursday, November 15, 2012 at 2 PM to

release the first in a two-phase study of New Hampshire’s option to expand

its Medicaid program under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The US Supreme

Court ruled in June that the ACA’s proposed Medicaid expansion is optional

for states. DHHS has been working with a national health policy and human

services consulting firm, the Lewin Group, to determine what the pros and

cons are for expanding New Hampshire’s Medicaid program. Lewin researchers

will be on hand Thursday afternoon to explain the analysis, as well as to

answer questions.


DATE November 15, 2012 2:00 PM


EVENT Public Briefing on Study on Medicaid Expansion


LOCATION DHHS Brown Auditorium

129 Pleasant Street

Concord, NH

NH DHHS - Delays Release of Medicaid Expansion Study due to Storm

Concord, NH - The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services

(DHHS) is announcing a storm related delay for its Medicaid Expansion

Analysis Briefing that was scheduled for this Friday, November 2nd.

Research and consulting staff that conducted the analysis are located in

the Mid-Atlantic region and had to evacuate due to the storm, and air

travel to the Northeast remains a challenge. Accordingly, DHHS has

rescheduled this Friday’s briefing to Thursday November 15, 2012 at 2PM.

The briefing will be held in the DHHS’ Brown Building, 129 Pleasant Street,

Concord NH.



This report by the Lewin Group, is the first in a two phase analysis of the

State’s option to expand its Medicaid program. Based on the US Supreme

Court’s ruling on the Affordable Care Act, states have the option of

expanding Medicaid coverage to individuals with incomes under 138-percent

of the federal poverty level. The report provides information on the

number of residents who would be eligible for coverage under the expansion

and associated costs to the state. In order to get a full understanding of

the pros and cons of the expansion, the second phase of the analysis, which

is expected to be completed by the end of the year, will address the impact

on the state economy, state budget and the commercial insurance market.



Lewin Group researchers will be at the briefing to explain their methods

and findings as well as to answer questions.

State Budget Solutions Applauds Public Pension Study

Alexandria, VA – Bob Williams, President of State Budget Solutions (SBS), a national nonprofit organization advocating for fundamental reform of state budgets, released the following statement regarding the release of the public pension study by the Laura and John Arnold Foundation (LJAF). The study, “GASB Won’t Let Me” - A False Objection to Public Pension Reform challenges one of the most commonly held objections to structural pension reform, namely that pension reform will increase costs in the short run.
 
“Laura and John Arnold Foundation’s paper dispels the myths that are preventing state legislators from enacting sound pension reform. For far too long people have wrongly believed that ending defined benefit programs and converting to a defined contribution (IRA type) pension system will raise costs. However, moving to a defined contribution plan is exactly what our states desperately need to avoid further fiscal debt," Williams said.
 
Williams added, "Unfunded pension liabilities are the dark cloud on the horizon of state budgets; a cloud totaling trillions of dollars. A move to defined contribution plans would reduce the risk to taxpayers, provide lawmakers with a reliable cost estimate for budgeting and give state workers control over their retirement funding."
 
Williams applauded the LJAF and Dr. Bob Costrell for their work to strengthen pension reform. Williams concluded, "State Budget Solutions urges state legislators in every state to read this report and begin implementing aggressive pension reform before it is too late.”

To set up an interview with Bob, please contact Meghan Tisinger at Media@statebudgetsolutions.org or 703-965-1145.
 
Bob Williams, President of State Budget Solutions, is a former state legislator, gubernatorial candidate and auditor with the Government Accountability Office. To read Bob Williams full bio click here. 
 
About State Budget Solutions
The State Budget Solutions Project is non-partisan, positive, pro-reform, proactive and anchored in fundamental-systemic solutions. The goal is to successfully engage political journalists/bloggers, state officials and opinion leaders in a new way of thinking about state government and budgets, fundamental reforms, transparency and accountability. Sharing studies and articles, data sets, anecdotes, and compelling narrative about what is happening in state and local budgets, The State Budget Solutions Project presents and disseminates information about every aspect of coming fiscal and economic disasters and, more importantly, highlights fundamental reforms to avoid them.
  
Check out StateBudgetSolutions.org for more information.

New Hampshire Commission on PTSD and TBI - SB 102

Veteran Map of New Hampshire

Learning More About NH Veterans

On Friday, May 4, 2012, more than 100 military and civilian leaders will gather to learn about and discuss new data on NH veterans who have PTDS and TBI. During the meeting, which is sponsored by the NH Commission on Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), there also will be a presentation and discussion of data on veterans who are at high risk of unemployment, homelessness and suicide.

In the fall of 2011, the New Hampshire Legislature established the Commission to study PTSD and TBI acquired by New Hampshire members of the armed forces in the line of duty.  The Commission determined as one of its initial tasks the collection of data on post 9/11 veterans who have been diagnosed with PTSD, TBI or both. Such data is essential to the pursuit of initiatives to better serve NH’s veteran community.  

The Veteran Map of New Hampshire

Identifying High-Risk Veterans Through Data Visualization

WHEN:     Friday, May 4, 2012

10:00am – 12:00pm

WHERE:  Auditorium, Brown Building

NH Department of Health and Human Services

129 Pleasant Street, Concord, NH

RNC - Obamacare By The Numbers In New Hampshire

From rising premiums, to harming businesses and costing jobs, ObamaCare is wrong for New Hampshire and the country, and the American people know it – a New York Times/CBS poll out today shows just 36 percent of Americans approve of ObamaCare while 47 percent disapprove. 

We here at the RNC wanted to remind everyone what ObamaCare actually means to New Hampshire and to each state in the United States as a whole. Please see below for more information:

See the RNC Research piece,  #ObamaCare: No Cause For Celebration, here:  http://bit.ly/H4TL60

NEW HAMPSHIRE

New Hampshire Seeing “Out Of Control” Insurance Premiums

In 2011, Clients Of New Hampshire-Based E&S Insurance Services Saw Health Insurance Premium Increases Between 15 And 17 Percent. “‘Our clients are seeing increases of 15–17 percent,’ says Eleanor Spinazzola, owner of E&S Insurance Services. She says more employers are passing on those higher costs to their employees.” (Rachel Gotbaum, “New Hampshire’s Small Employers Grapple With Higher Health Insurance Rates,” NPR State Impact, 9/30/11)

• “‘It’s Out Of Control,’ Says Kevin Boyarsky Owner Of Print Solutions In Concord. ‘Our Premiums Went Up 28 Percent This Year.’” (Rachel Gotbaum, “New Hampshire’s Small Employers Grapple With Higher Health Insurance Rates,” NPR State Impact, 9/30/11)

“In Some States Like New Hampshire, Groups Of More Than 20 Workers Have Experienced Premium Increases Of Around 20 Percent This Year, While Smaller Groups Have Seen Increases Of 40 Percent Or More.” (Robert Pear, “Insurers Told to Justify Rate Increases Over 10 Percent,” The New York Times, 5/19/11)

ObamaCare Squeezing New Hampshire’s State Budget

ObamaCare Will Cost New Hampshire $177 Million By The End Of The Decade. “Several of the health care reform proposals currently circulating in Congress would require all states to extend their Medicaid coverage to residents who earn less than 133 percent of the federal poverty level, or $29,300 for a family of four, the Concord Monitor reported. Currently, New Hampshire offers Medicaid coverage to pregnant women, low-income children and low-income parents if the family income is less than 63 percent of the poverty level, or $13,900 for a family of four. The new limit would make about 83,000 additional citizens eligible for coverage, costing the state of New Hampshire an estimated $177 million over the program’s first six years, the Monitor reported.” (Lauren Vespoli, “Gov. Comes Out Against Expansion Of Medicaid,” The Dartmouth, 10/16/09)

Gov. John Lynch (D-NH) “Raised Concerns” About The Costs Of ObamaCare. “Gov. John Lynch, D-N.H., has raised concerns about potentially costly Congressional health care reform proposals to expand Medicaid. Medicaid costs for the state have already risen due to the economic downturn, and Lynch believes they will increase further with the proposed reform measures, Collin Manning, Lynch’s press secretary, said in an interview with The Dartmouth. Medicaid, the government-run insurance program for low-income individuals and families, has seen increased demand this year due to the economic downturn. ‘It’s a burden — we simply can’t absorb these costs in good times, let alone right now,’ Manning said.” (Lauren Vespoli, “Gov. Comes Out Against Expansion Of Medicaid,” The Dartmouth, 10/16/09)

Thousands Of New Hampshire Seniors Dropped From Medicare Advantage

7,600 New Hampshire Seniors’ Medicare Advantage Plans Were Discontinued Due To “Pending Funding Cuts And Provisions Within The New Health Care Law.” “Many local Medicare Advantage users are being left in the lurch by their health plan providers. About 7,600 seniors in Rockingham, Carroll, and Hillsborough Counties received notice earlier this month that their Medicare Advantage coverage is being discontinued. New Hampshire has one of the highest percentages of Medicare Advantage enrollees in New England. … Pending funding cuts and provisions within the new health care law will make it impossible for providers to continue providing Medicare Advantage plans and remain solvent, he said.” (Julie Hanson, “Medicare Questions Just Keep Coming,” Union Leader, 11/30/11)

ObamaCare Harming New Hampshire Ski Resorts

ObamaCare Hits New Hampshire Ski Resorts, Which Will Face "As Much As $1 Million In Fines." "The assessment is $2,000 per employee, which, according to SkiNH lobbyist Bruce Berke and group president Alice Pearce, could mean as much as $1 million in fines to the big ski resorts, some of which hire as many as 500 seasonal workers. Also affected would be any business that hires on a seasonal basis, and, like most nationally, do not offer health insurance." (John DiStaso, "Granite Status: Ski Resorts Worry Health Care Reform Will Have Chilling Effect," The Union Leader, 3/25/10)

·         Forcing New Hampshire Ski Resorts To Either Cut Jobs Or Raise Prices. “Otherwise, Pearce said, it will be up to each ski resort (and presumably, seasonal attractions statewide) to figure out how to handle it. The choices are pretty clear, either increase prices or cut costs, which could mean hiring fewer workers next winter.” (John DiStaso, "Granite Status: Ski Resorts Worry Health Care Reform Will Have Chilling Effect," The Union Leader, 3/25/10)