HB271 - Hearing on Bill to Prevent Expanded Medicaid

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HB 271: An Act Stating that NH will Not Accept ExpandedMedicaidSponsors: Rep. William O’Brien and Rep. Timothy Comerford.
Hearing on February 5, 2013, 10 am in Rep’s Hall at the NHState House. 

I confess. I was running a little late, and parking was aproblem. By the time I parked in the mansion district and hoofed it to thehearing, I missed most of O’Brien’s testimony.
I did hear him speak of NH’s “addiction” to Medicaid. Wherewas Obie when Judd Gregg was filling NH’s budget gaps with Mediscam dollars?Oh, the irony! O’Brien thinks that people will stay poor on purpose, to keepMedicaid. And why wouldn’t they? Poverty is SUCH big fun!!
Next was Rep. Comerford, who tells us that Medicaid isn’tvery good coverage as it is. Tell that to the folks who have NO coverage,Timothy.
Representative Hunt testified in support of the Houseminority, in support of the bill. He’s somehow turned getting expanded Medicaidmoney into a budget cut, and tells us that we should NOT cut the budget now, weshould wait until the economy turns around. He also claims that the people whowould be eligible for expanded Medicaid would be picked up by the privateinsurers through the exchanges. Apparently it hasn’t occurred to him that ifyou are a low wage worker and can’t afford private insurance, the exchangesystem isn’t going to make a lot of difference.
Meanwhile, O’Brien is standing alone in the back of theroom, smiling. Happy to be tying up a committee and hundreds of people.
Sonia Prince of Nashua: “I don’t want this bill to passbecause I have compassion.”
Pam Ian (not sure about spelling) from Concord supports thebill because back in the olden days people used to pay for health care out oftheir own pockets. She blames Medicare and Medicaid for the increase in healthcare costs. Our choices have been taken away from us by gummint regulations. Weneed FREEDOM. We should be able to buy plans that are tailor made for ourneeds.
Mike Lessard from Dover spoke in opposition to the bill.He’s a blue-collar worker who was clearly nervous, but he was pretty great asan advocate for low wage workers and on behalf of his brother who has somedisabilities.
Will Thomas of the NH Veterans for Peace pointed out thatthis would be a good thing for NH veterans. He also said: “We are judged by howwe treat the least among us.”
Pam Lessard, a teacher, and Mike’s mom spoke in opposition.She referenced low wage workers and their inability to afford health care. Shesaid, “Health reaches into every aspect of a person’s life.”
Jane Lang testified that at the age of 63 she was leftwithout a job and without health insurance. Last year she was diagnosed withstage 3 cancer, and needed surgery right away. She had to apply for Medicaid; aprocess that she was told would take 3-6 months. She is in favor of expandedMedicaid, so that people will get routine health care, and problems will bediagnosed earlier.
Steve Ahnen, President of NH Hospital Association:People turn to hospital emergency rooms because they have noplace to go. This program will cover a great many of those folks. Uncompensatedcare is a crisis for NH hospitals, we can’t sustain it.
Barbara, nurse from Derry: Must we in NH continue the raceto the bottom?
Ellen Feinberg of the NH Children’s Alliance:Children of low wage workers can get CHIP or Medicaid, buttheir parents cannot. Research shows that healthy parents take better care oftheir children. Early and consistent health screenings benefit children and thepeople of our state.  
Allison Comeau Nason – triage nurse, night shift:Sees patients with conditions that have gone on for days orweeks, but sometimes even months and years because of lack of insurance. Shespoke of a young mother who was diagnosed with cervical cancer, who didn’t getcare because she had to pay the rent. We need to make health care moreavailable to the people of our state.
There were few present in support of this bill, and many whowere opposed. It really comes down to this: the compassionate vs. thecompassionless. At this hearing, the compassionate were in the majority.