NH Senate Votes to Reauthorize Health Protection Program

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 31, 2016

Concord, NH – Earlier today, the New Hampshire Senate approved HB 1696, which would reauthorize the New Hampshire Health Protection Program through December 2018.  New Hampshire Fiscal Policy Institute Executive Director Jeff McLynch issued the following statement:

“New Hampshire has many fine traditions, but few can rival the bipartisanship and common-sense pragmatism that the Senate displayed today in reauthorizing the New Hampshire Health Protection Program.  Its vote today – in combination with earlier efforts by the House of Representatives — will ensure that more than 48,000 Granite Staters continue to have access to affordable health insurance for another two years.

“Health Protection Program enrollees include many individuals who work in low wage jobs that keep the state economy moving, but that don’t pay enough to make ends meet.  The program provides thousands of hard-working Granite Staters with access to the care they need to stay healthy and able to provide for their families.

“NHFPI looks forward to working with the members of the upcoming study commission to identify ways to enhance the effectiveness of the Health Protection Program still further and to ensure that it remains a vital element of New Hampshire’s efforts to promote health and economic security for years to come.”

The New Hampshire Fiscal Policy Institute is an independent, non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to exploring, developing, and promoting public policies that foster economic opportunity and prosperity for all New Hampshire residents, with an emphasis on low- and moderate-income families and individuals. Learn more at www.nhfpi.org.

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