HB1760

Please vote in support of this important bill.

It is vital that the reduction in support for low income people be stopped. This bill would help reduce out-of-pocket costs for participants in specific state-run health programs. Support of this bill is a must for the health and welfare of residents throughout NH.

Do not limit health care.

This bill would impact me personally. I’m a disabled and chronically ill person who uses Medicare and Medicaid to survive. I’m on SSI and SSDI in order to have access to those things. I’m on a super tiny fixed income and the state adding premiums to my care is an extreme issue. I already make so little that I’m on plans to help me pay for everything. But, other Granite Staters aren’t so lucky and these premiums and copays eat into a huge chunk of their income. This is completely unfair, undeserved, and uncalled for. Let us have access to the care we need to live without extra hurdles. It’s as simple as that.

I support this bill which would repeal a previous directive that established pharmacy co-pays and premium requirements.

I support this bill because it would repeal premiums and co-pays for Medicaid. Medicaid recipients are on Medicaid because they cannot afford regular health insurance due to no fault of their own. A lot of Medicaid recipients are disabled, or caring for a disabled parent or disabled child. Where's the empathy? Repeal the premiums and co-pays.

I support this bill because it would repeal premiums and co-pays for Medicaid. Medicaid recipients are on Medicaid because they cannot afford regular health insurance due to no fault of their own. A lot of Medicaid recipients are disabled, or caring for a disabled parent or disabled child. Where's the empathy? Repeal the premiums and co-pays.

Vouchers (EFAs) need transparency, not more manipulation!

I state my opinion for this bill for the sake of residents in NH.

This bill is punitive and will put healthcare financially out of reach for the very people Medicaid is designed to assist.

Please support this bill that makes healthcare more affordable and accessible to those living on fixed incomes.

No one who makes over 14,000 dollars a year or has 7,000 dollars in savings can apply for Medicaid. The whole purpose of the program is to provide healthcare for those who have no other means of affording healthcare. The income restrictions are already so strict that the folks on Medicaid have no hope of being able to afford premiums or co-pays.

Female

Requirements related to pharmacy copayments and health care premiums under the state Medicaid program that were passed last year are harmful to many Granite Staters. The last thing are vulnerable citizens need is increased health care costs. They are already struggling to meet other basic needs. Please pass this bill.

As an RN of 30 years, in NH I'm seeing more and more patients struggling to afford healthcare coverage. Particularly in my specialty, this can lead to long term much more expensive outcomes than when they are able to afford regular checkups and care. NH is an expensive state in which to live, more so every year. Please help NH residents get the healthcare they need and deserve, saving money in the long run, by eliminating the copays and deductibles recently added to the state budget.

Please support the working poor who need Medicaid and not charge them another fee. It is hard enough to cover other basic needs. Let healthcare be a right and not a privilege.

To the Honorable Chair and Members of the Committee, My name is Kurt Oberhausen, and I am a resident of Northfield, as well as the father of the most amazing six-year-old daughter, Addison, who lives with Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome (LGS). I am writing today to urge you to support HB 1760. LGS is one of the rarest and most severe forms of epilepsy and requires 24/7 care. That care is only possible because of the Katie Beckett program (HC-CSD). The Katie Beckett program is a lifeline that allows children with the most complex medical needs to remain at home with their families rather than in institutional care. The premiums established in last year’s budget create a sudden, significant financial burden on families. When discussing Medicaid premiums, the conversation often misses the “lost income tax” — the earnings families forfeit when they must reduce work hours or leave the workforce to provide care — that families with medically complex children and rare diseases already pay. According to the National Alliance for Caregiving, nearly half of caregivers report having to reduce their work hours or leave the workforce entirely to manage their child's care. For many families, this results in a loss of 20–30% of their annual household income. Families in the medically complex and rare community face “the caregiving penalty,” which involves medical emergencies and round-the-clock care. This makes traditional career advancement difficult and adds thousands of dollars in out-of-pocket costs for specialized equipment and travel to specialists that insurance does not cover. Under the current HB 2 structure, families could see new premiums of $2,280 to $3,240 per year. For a family already struggling with a reduced income due to caregiving duties, this is not just a "small fee"—it is a barrier to care. For a family living on a caregiver-reduced income, one unexpected medical bill or an increased premium can compromise their ability to fulfill a life-saving prescription. It penalizes middle-income families striving to remain employed while caring for a child with a disability. Beyond the cost, these premiums impose an "administrative tax" on families already drowning in paperwork. Adding a monthly billing requirement creates a new point of failure; a single mailing error or portal glitch can result in a child losing coverage, forcing families to spend hours—or days—of unpaid labor to restore life-saving benefits. HB 1760 corrects a policy that treats healthcare for disabled children as a luxury rather than a necessity. By repealing these premiums and copay increases, you acknowledge the immense financial and personal sacrifices NH families make every day. I ask you to vote Ought to Pass on HB 1760 to ensure Addison and children like her can continue to thrive in their homes and communities without the threat of financial destabilization. Sincerely, Kurt Oberhausen Northfield, NH

Please support HB 1760. "The Protecting Access to Affordable Health Care for Working Families Act". Thank you.