NH health leaders gather to discuss potential outcomes from of House-passed budget cuts

MANCHESTER, NH – Following the recent vote in the New Hampshire House of Representatives, health care leaders from across the state gathered on Friday, April 11 at the Mental Health Center of Greater Manchester to discuss the impacts of funding cuts included in the House-passed budget.

The House budget includes proposed reductions to Medicaid reimbursement rates, under-funding of key mental health services, and changes to the funding structure of critical substance use prevention, treatment and recovery programs, among other provisions that will undermine New Hampshire’s health care system and restrict providers’ ability to care for Granite State patients.

“These cuts are not just numbers on a page.  They represent very real consequences for our hospitals, mental health centers and community health centers … area agencies serving individuals with developmental disabilities, and our critical provider workforce,” said Patricia Carty, President & CEO of the Mental Health Center of Greater Manchester. “(The cuts) will very negatively impact the State’s Mission Zero program, which has seen progress recently in addressing the emergency room boarding problem. Most importantly, these budget cuts represent a direct threat to patient access to critical services, and the ability of our health care system to respond to ongoing challenges, including timely access to care, rapid response and crisis housing, substance use recovery, and other areas.”

“New Hampshire needs Medicaid rate increases, not decreases. We need our mental health services to be funded. Granite Staters who live with disabilities need their direct service providers to be paid a living wage,” said Gregory White, Co-CEO, Lamprey Health Care. “We need workforce initiatives, like the State Loan Repayment Program, to continue to meet the needs of the tens of thousands of patients we serve.”

“We cannot go back. A reduction in Medicaid rates would further destabilize an already underfunded home care sector and force agencies to cut services,” said Amy Moore, Vice President of In-Home Care, Ascentria Care Alliance. “Without sufficient funding, vulnerable residents will lose access to home care and be forced into hospitals and nursing homes, increasing costs and creating system-wide bottlenecks.”

“New Hampshire has made tremendous strides in combating the terrible impact of overdoses and fatalities that have destroyed lives and families,”Kate Frey, Vice President of Advocacy, New Futures. “Now is not the time to turn our backs on those struggling with this disease.”

“Right now, the developmental disabilities community in NH faces serious and immediate threatsdue to major cuts proposed in the state budget. The programs that support thousands of children, adults, and families—community-based services, early intervention, residential services, employment support, recreation, and respite care—are all at risk,” Marissa Berg, Executive Director, Community Support Network, Inc. “We urge our state leaders to stand with the critical agencies, programs, and community partners that care for New Hampshire’s most vulnerable citizens to protect the services that matter, and commit to building a compassionate, sustainable future for all.”

The $16 billion budget proposal, which covers the 2026 and 2027 fiscal years, is now moving over to the state Senate for consideration. A video of the press conference can be seen here. The proposed biennial budget (HB 1) can be seen here and the proposed biennial revenues, fees and funds (HB 2) can be seen here.