Expanded Medicaid not renewed

New Hampshire's expanded Medicaid eligibility is set to expire December 31, 2016.  Gov. Maggie Hassan wants legislators to renew the program as part of the next budget, but last week the House and Senate both acted against a renewal.

First, the Senate tabled a bill to extend expanded Medicaid.  Then the House Finance Committee voted to remove expanded Medicaid from the next state budget.

"Allowing expansion to sunset would result in increased cost-shifting onto all of our people and businesses," Hassan said at her recent budget address.  "And allowing expansion to sunset would cause significant harm to the health and financial security of the thousands of men and women receiving coverage."

Opponents of expanded Medicaid point out that federal funding for the program will decrease in 2016.  They argue that there are higher priorities for state funding, such as education.  Medicaid accounted for 27% of the state budget in 2014.