From the NH Labor News. Original Link
Today the New Hampshire House showed that Republicans and Democrats can work together to ensure that over 40,000 Granite Staters do not lose their health care coverage.
“The bipartisan New Hampshire Health Protection Program is strengthening the health and financial security of more than 48,000 hard-working Granite Staters, reducing healthcare cost-shifting onto all of our people and businesses, and playing an important role in combating the heroin and opioid crisis by providing substance abuse and behavioral health services to thousands of people," said Governor Maggie Hassan.
“It is clear that our bipartisan expansion plan is making a real difference for hard-working Granite Staters and boosting our economy, and we know that reauthorization remains essential to increasing substance abuse treatment capacity in New Hampshire. I applaud the House of Representatives for its second bipartisan vote to reauthorize the New Hampshire Health Protection Program, and I will continue working with members of both parties and the federal government to reauthorize this critical program as it makes its way through the legislative process,” concluded Hassan.
The New Hampshire Fiscal Policy Institute also praised today's bipartisan vote.
"The Health Protection Program helps low wage workers who could not otherwise afford health coverage. It helps individuals who temporarily fall on hard times and it helps those who are forced to reduce their work hours to care for an aging parent, a sick child, or other family member facing serious illness," said NHFPI's Executive Director Jeff McLynch. "Access to health coverage is a key component to ensuring economic stability for New Hampshire workers and families who struggle to put food on the table and a roof over their heads."
"At the same time, the Health Protection Program will enable New Hampshire to bring more than $800 million of our federal tax dollars back to the state through the end of 2018 to help address critical public health needs, providing much needed resources to bolster our mental health system and combat the substance use disorder crisis," added McLynch.
"We commend the members of the House of Representatives for this bipartisan vote in support of the reauthorization of the New Hampshire Health Protection Program. Their action brings New Hampshire one step closer to ensuring that thousands of hard-working Granite Staters have continued access to affordable health coverage that will increase their ability to achieve economic security," concluded McLynch.
Senate Democratic Leader Jeff Woodburn, is poised and ready for the Senate to do their part and get this bill to the Governor. “Senate Democrats stand ready to renew this important program and we thank the House for their support. We look forward to working with our Republican colleagues in the Senate to get this critical legislation to the Governor’s desk as soon as possible.”
After the vote the New Hampshire Democratic Party was quick to highlight that Republican Gubernatorial candidate Chris Sununu tried to block Medicaid Expansion as an Executive Councilor.
In October 2013 Sununu was the only member of the Executive Council to vote against endorsing Gov. Hassan’s call for a special session to consider the recommendations of a commission that endorsed Medicaid expansion. Then, in July 2014 Sununu was one of two councilors to vote against a $292 million contract that would allow the N.H. Health Protection Program, or Medicaid expansion, to begin Sept. 1.
“Sununu’s record is clear,” said New Hampshire Democratic Party Chair Ray Buckley. “He led the fight opposing Medicaid expansion in New Hampshire and had he been successful, nearly 48,000 Granite Staters would still be without high-quality healthcare.”
“It’s frankly disturbing to see how proud a candidate for governor is about putting partisan politics and ideology ahead of the health of everyday Granite Staters,” Buckley concluded.