WMUR – April 11, 2025
By ADAM SEXTON, Political Director
CONCORD, N.H. — The New Hampshire Health Care Workforce Coalition is opposing the state budget passed by the New Hampshire House on Thursday night, warning of dire consequences if the cuts are affirmed by the state Senate. Health advocates said the proposed budget would hurt the most vulnerable in New Hampshire. “These proposed cuts will put an immense strain on health care providers, particularly those serving our most vulnerable populations, and risk limiting both access and quality of care,” said Patricia Carty, of the Mental Health Center of Greater Manchester.
Providers said they’re concerned about annual 3% cuts to Medicaid reimbursement rates, reduced funding for mental health services and changes to the structure of funding for opioid addiction treatment. On top of the loss of federal funds, including the recent $80 million clawback of federal public health grants, community health centers said the outlook is bleak. “The safety net relies on federal funding and state funding and insurance reimbursements to simply operate,” said Greg White, co-CEO of Lamprey Health Care. “That $80 million loss meant that organizations like ours were forced to lay off our most precious resource: our staff.”
Advocates are also voicing opposition to the House budget’s cut to developmental disability services. “Without support, many family members of these young adults will have to leave their jobs to fill in the gaps,” said Marissa Berg, of Community Support Network Inc. “Elderly parents will continue to support their dependent adult children at home, despite their own health challenges.” The House Republicans who crafted the budget bill have said repeatedly they are working with much more limited resources compared to years past, and they defended the cuts as they passed them on Thursday. “This budget does reflect our values, that it puts the New Hampshire taxpayers first and not the bureaucracies that have ballooned and bloated since 2020,” said Republican Majority Leader Jason Osborne.