ICYMI: Senators Shaheen, Hassan Highlight Harmful Impact Trumpcare Would Have on Granite Staters
ICYMI: Senators Shaheen, Hassan Highlight Harmful Impact Trumpcare Would Have on Granite Staters
WASHINGTON – Yesterday, Senator Jeanne Shaheen and Maggie Hassan held a press conference at Concord Hospital where they highlighted the harmful impact that Trumpcare would have on Granite Staters by ending New Hampshire’s bipartisan Medicaid expansion, cutting and capping the traditional Medicaid program, and raising premiums – especially for older Americans – while giving insurance CEOs a new tax break.
See below for a recap of coverage:
AP:
U.S. Sen. Maggie Hassan on Monday called the Republican plan to dismantle the Affordable Care Act the “height of irresponsibility” when it comes to its effect on people with drug addictions.
… At a news conference at Concord Hospital, Hassan and fellow Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen argued the result would be a disaster, particularly in places hard hit by the opioid crisis.
“When you repeal Medicaid expansion, it hurts the ability of those on the front lines to save lives and to combat this epidemic. Treatment providers would have to cut back on the help they can provide. That’s pulling the rug out from under millions of people,” Hassan said. “Medicaid expansion right now is a lifeline for thousands in the Granite State, and to take that lifeline away is the height of irresponsibility and it is unconscionable.
The senators were joined by the hospital CEO, the head of a group that represents nursing homes and a man who credited the state’s expanded Medicaid program with saving his life.
… Shaheen described meeting with a Laconia police officer who has been reaching out to residents struggling with substance misuse since 2014. Of the 170 families he’s worked with, three-quarters were on Medicaid, she said.
“What we heard from Donald Trump when he was in New Hampshire in the campaign, and then we heard it again a couple of weeks ago in his address to Congress, was that he was going to address the heroin and opioid crisis we’re facing,” she said. “What we see in this plan is that it does just the opposite.”
For Philip Spagnuolo, expansion of Medicaid in New Hampshire was a lifesaver, helping to rescue him from the potentially fatal effects of addiction.
Spagnuolo was on Medicaid from February 2016 until January of this year. In that time, he was able to get counseling, therapy and medical care that allowed him to overcome his substance abuse disorder.
Now a licensed recovery coach at Navigating Recovery of the Lakes Region in Laconia, Spagnuolo has become an advocate for recovery and for the New Hampshire Health Protection Program, the Granite State’s own version of expanded Medicaid under Obamacare.
On Monday, the former construction site supervisor joined New Hampshire’s two Democratic U.S. senators, along with representatives of the health care industry, at Concord Hospital to oppose the “repeal and replace” plan for Obamacare that is now working its way through the Republican-controlled House of Representatives.
… Sen. Maggie Hassan told the gathering on Monday that the block grants will be inadequate to sustain the expanded Medicaid program.
“The House bill will impact health care seriously, but what it would do to Medicaid expansion … it would in fact repeal it,” said Hassan. “That will make health insurance out of reach for thousands of Granite Staters, and it hurts the ability of those on the front lines to save lives and fight this (opioid) epidemic.”
Spagnuolo described himself as living proof of the value provided by recovery services funded through Medicaid.
… The Shaheen-Hassan news conference at Concord Hospital came after a weekend in which Trump administration officials promoted the GOP replacement plan as one that would cover more people at lower cost.
WMUR:
The Republican health care plan backed by President Donald Trump is “a real disaster” for New Hampshire, Sen. Jeanne Shaheen said at a news conference Monday, flanked by Sen. Maggie Hassan, health care providers and a recovered victim of substance abuse disorder.
Joining Shaheen at Concord Hospital to attack the House Republican-sponsored American Health Care Act, Hassan called the plan’s provision to end Medicaid expansion ”the height of irresponsibility.” Both senators promised to work against the bill.
… Hassan said the report from the CBO, a nonpartisan office, confirmed that the GOP plan would lead to “huge premium hikes” and a loss of coverage for 24 million Americans. She promised to “fight back against this misguided ‘TrumpCare’ legislation.”
Shaheen also said the CBO report "confirms our worst fears about the catastrophic impact of 'TrumpCare.'” She called on congressional Republican leaders to withdraw the bill and work with Democrats to improve the Affordable Care Act.
At the mid-day news conference, Shaheen said the GOP plan “decimates Medicaid. It talks about turning it into a block grant and per capita program. It slashes coverage for drug treatment.
… Hassan called Medicaid expansion “a lifeline for thousands of people in the Granite State. And to take that lifeline away is the height of irresponsibility, and it is unconscionable.”
NH1:
At a joint news conference at Concord Hospital, Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen called a bill by U.S. House Republican leadership, known formally as the American Health Care Act, “a real disaster for people in New Hampshire.”
And fellow Democrat Sen. Maggie Hassan called the GOP plan’s phasing out of the Medicaid Expansion program “the height of irresponsibility.”
… Hassan declared that “Trumpcare is clearly the wrong approach.”
NHPR:
Senators Jeanne Shaheen and Maggie Hassan were joined by heath care providers, hospital officials and a recovery advocate as the railed against what they called Trumpcare during a visit to Concord Hopital. Shaheen said based on her review of the GOP bill, the prognosis for New Hampshire is grim.
"It will be a real disaster for people in New Hampshire. It will result in higher healthcare costs and less coverage."
… Senator Hassan stressed the bill would end expanded Medicaid, which has helped about 50,000 in New Hampshire people get insurance, including for drug treatment.
"Mediciad expansion is a lifeline. And to take that lifeline away is the height of irresponsibility and it is unconscionable."
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