Politics & Government

Medicaid Expansion Fight Looms

Democrats and Republicans blast one another over budget, health care choices in NH.

While New Hampshire continues to debate whether to pursue Medicaid expansion, Senate President Peter Bragdon is asking another question: if the state were to opt in, could it opt out? Prove it, Bragdon said Monday, saying at a community forum on the issue that he wants to see facts first.

To that end, Bragdon and the GOP caucus in the Senate are backing a change to reject Medicaid expansion, opting instead to study it. Democrats blasted Republicans for playing politics at the sake of thousands of Granite Staters and the loss of federal funding for care for the needy.

In Concord today, Republicans and Democrats continue with dueling news conferences on the issue. And the Republican State Committee sent a right-to-know request to Gov. Maggie Hassan (D-Exeter) asking for any documents related to any effort or plan to "unilaterally expand Medicaid" without legislative approval. (The letter is pasted below in full.)

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House Speaker Terie Norelli (D-Portsmouth) and Senate Democratic Leader Sylvia Larsen (D-Concord) criticized Senate Republicans for trying to block progress – Republicans have a 13-11 edge in the New Hampshire Senate, where the state budget will be voted on Thursday.

Norelli, in remarks June 3, said that "the Republican budget does not move forward with the expansion of Medicaid, despite an independent study that concluded New Hampshire would benefit greatly from the infusion of $2.5 billion into our economy, create 700 jobs, and save the state $92 million."

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"The federal government will provide 100 percent of the funding for the first three years and no less than 90 percent thereafter," Norelli continued. "Despite cries to the contrary, the federal government has historically fulfilled its commitments to the Medicaid program, even increasing funding during tough economic times."

* * * * *

The right-to-know letter the NH GOP send to the Governor:

Dear Governor Hassan,

This is a request under the New Hampshire Right To Know Law (RSA 91-A.)

I formally request that you provide me with all records from your office regarding your attempt to expand Medicaid without legislative approval, in violation of state law. This includes any written or electronic communications from you and your staff and any legal opinions prepared by your legal counsel or by the New Hampshire Department of Justice.

The Concord Monitor reported that during a press conference at the State House yesterday, State Senator Sylvia Larsen (D-Concord) revealed that your office is secretly reviewing an illegal plan to unilaterally expand Medicaid. She indicated that your staff is quietly exploring ways to side step the duly-elected New Hampshire Legislature in your reckless attempt to implement this budget busting component of ObamaCare.

A reckless expansion of Medicaid will cost the state millions of dollars and burden future state budgets. If the federal government fails to completely maintain its commitments, New Hampshire will be saddled with a massive funding hole that could only be filled with a devastating sales or income tax.

Your actions are disgraceful, and raise very serious questions about the professional and ethical standards of your administration. Instead of working with the legislature to study the concerns relating to Medicaid expansion, you are exploring ways to violate state law. It is also outrageous that you decided to publicly disclose your illegal efforts to circumvent the legislature only after Senator Larsen made her comments. This is the kind of secret backroom dealing that we expect to see in Washington not in New Hampshire. It indicates that your administration is unwilling to be upfront and honest with Granite Staters about your efforts to implement massive new spending programs that could destroy the New Hampshire Advantage.    

Pursuant to the guiding statutes, please respond to this request within five (5) days of receipt. If you deny any or this entire request, please cite each specific exemption you feel justifies the refusal to release the information and notify me of appeal procedures available to me under the law.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Sincerely,

Jennifer Horn,

Chairman, New Hampshire Republican State Committee

 


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