NHGOP Chairman Stepanek Issues Statement on Democrat Medicare for All House Bill

CONCORD, New Hampshire, Jan. 30 -- The New Hampshire Republican Party issued the following statement by Chairman Stephen Stepanek regarding HB 697-FN-A - relative to Medicare for all, a bill proposed by New Hampshire Democrats:

"This is yet another Democrat bill that shows they are going after the people of New Hampshire. By enacting this Medicare for all program, private insurance plans in the state of New Hampshire that offer the same benefits, at a lower and market-driven cost as opposed to the government plan, would be eliminated.

"This expansion of New Hampshire state government, which includes a new administrative panel to govern this single-payer program, could cost up to and beyond $16 billion per fiscal year based on current expenditures for the state Medicaid program.

"As none of the departments that would be involved in the administration and distribution of this program were able to determine the fiscal impact, legislators should soundly reject this legislation."

HB 697-FN-A - relative to Medicare for all facts:

* Eliminates the private health insurance market in New Hampshire for similar coverage to the Medicare program.

* The program would be administered by a newly created health services governing board, responsible for such functions as implementing eligibility standards and program enrollment, establishing formulas for health expenditure budgets, administering budgets and cost reimbursements, and establishing quality and planning functions.

* Program costs would be funded out of a newly-created New Hampshire Health Services Trust Fund, which would consist of the following:

* (1) funds appropriated by the state

* (2) federal funds designated for health care

* (3) public and private grants and contributions

* (4) any other funding source earmarked for health care or health care education

* The current Medicaid system enrolls 180,000 New Hampshire citizens in the program at a cost of $2.2 billion FY 2018. At roughly $12,222 per person, we can assume a Medicare program covering every Granite Stater would cost over $16 billion per fiscal year at current population levels.

* Neither the Department of Health and Human Services, the Insurance Department, nor the Departments of Corrections and Administrative service are able to estimate the bill's fiscal impact.