Beth Boucher

The reasons behind this bill are insidiously cruel and unpatriotic. We all benefit from a healthier community- meaning all of us have access to food, transportation, housing, and health care when we need it. Investing state funds in to Medicaid services is one impactful way New Hampshire can become one of the healthiest states in the country, attract and retain a healthy workforce, and grow our economic opportunities. By limiting access to health care for a person who is experiencing financial trouble, we encourage higher health care costs, economic challenges, and a workforce with limited capacity due to illness. Who do we want to be as a state? I want to be a state that encourages healthy behaviors, stimulates growth and attracts businesses and tourism because people want to live here. Approving this bill will only lead us to the opposite end of that spectrum. If we are truly concerned about increasing workforce capacity and reduce our budget, it is imperative we ensure basic needs are met for all our residents, invest in workforce development (there are partners across the country working with Medicaid populations), and keep our public schools funded to give employers an expectation of what it means to be a NH graduate- perhaps including employers’ input on what they would like to see. Taking away basic health care needs from those of us who need it most is a disgraceful way to try and balance our budget in the very short term.