Politics & Government
Medicaid Study Panel Digs In
In NH, 170,000 residents are Medicaid beneficiaries. In Merrimack County, 20.9 % of children rely on Medicaid for health care.
CONCORD, N.H. – The commission studying whether New Hampshire will become one of the next states to expand Medicaid heard July 16 that an estimated 170,000 residents currently receive care under the program on an annual basis.
The Commission to Study Expansion of Medicaid Eligibility, as it is officially known, is now reviewing the evolution of Medicaid, which was enacted in 1965 as a joint federal-state program to purchase care for low-income people, elderly and disabled.
Katie Dunn, state Medicaid director and associate commissioner of the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services, said the average monthly enrollment is about 130,000. Expenditures in Fiscal Year 2012 were $1,055,965,000, according to the presentation.
Enrollment varies across the state. In Coos County, for example, 37 percent of children rely on Medicaid for health care access, according to the Department of Health and Human Services.
Carroll County: 6,172 (12.3 percent 17 and under)
Cheshire County: 8,960 (22.4 percent 17 and under)
Coos County: 5,842 (37.7 percent 17 and under)
Grafton County: 9,335 (22 percent 17 and under)
Hillsborough County: 45,505 (27.9 perent 17 and under)
Merrimack County: 16,789 (20.9 percent 17 and under)
Rockingham County: 20,176 (14 percent 17 and under)
Strafford County: 14,856 (21.2 percent 17 and under)
Sullivan County: 6,112 (27.2 percent 17 and under)
*Represents % of general population
*Data is for beneficiaries enrolled at any time during the month; numbers here for July 2012.
As the numbers above show, children make up a major segment of beneficiaries. Beneficiaries by age per the state's three largest counties are: Merrimack County 10,154 (0-17), 5,331 (18-64), 1,304 (65 plus); Hillsborough County 27,859 (0-17), 14,044 (18-64), 3,602 (65 plus); and Rockingham County 12,920 (0-17), 5,634 (18-64), 1,622 (65 plus).
The Commission was created as a state budget compromise. The House and Gov. Maggie Hassan (D-Exeter) pushed for Medicaid expansion, but Senate President Peter Bragdon (R-Milford) said the state should first study what expansion of eligibility means for New Hampshire. The commission aims to conclude its work by Oct. 15.
Commission members, while listening to the presentation Tuesday, asked questions of the state policy leaders on the breadth of the program, eligibility requirements and the nature of the financing. (The state doesn't provide the care; the state pays about 14,000 providers across New Hampshire to deliver the care, Dunn notes.)
Charlie Arlinghaus, a commission member, questioned the progression of the programming. Nobody, he noted, wants to be on Medicaid. "What are we not doing? What's not happening?"
Rep. Neal Kurk (R-Weare) countered his point. Medicaid, he added, is a popular program "for many people for many reasons."
The agenda items Tuesday included eligibility, quality performance measures and community and long-term care services.
At the end of the day, the commission will likely be looking at some kind of "New Hampshire solution," said Sen. Andy Sanborn (R-Bedford).
The DHHS presentation includes a look at the impact of Medicaid apart from expansion, a conceptual model of Medicaid expansion in the state, and potential options for expansion.
Nancy Rollins, associate commissioner of NH DHHS and director of Community Based Care Services, was among the state officials briefing the commission on Medicaid. In fielding some questions, she noted the nuances. "This is one of the most complex programs," she said.
* * * * *
The state Department of Health and Human Services has a webpage dedicated to the commission's work, including the presentation July 16.
Low Income Children and Foster Care
The Commission to Study Expansion of Medicaid Eligibility, as it is officially known, is now reviewing the evolution of Medicaid, which was enacted in 1965 as a joint federal-state program to purchase care for low-income people, elderly and disabled.
Katie Dunn, state Medicaid director and associate commissioner of the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services, said the average monthly enrollment is about 130,000. Expenditures in Fiscal Year 2012 were $1,055,965,000, according to the presentation.
Enrollment varies across the state. In Coos County, for example, 37 percent of children rely on Medicaid for health care access, according to the Department of Health and Human Services.
Medicaid population – July 2012
Belknap County: 8,451 (20 percent 17 and under)*Carroll County: 6,172 (12.3 percent 17 and under)
Cheshire County: 8,960 (22.4 percent 17 and under)
Coos County: 5,842 (37.7 percent 17 and under)
Grafton County: 9,335 (22 percent 17 and under)
Hillsborough County: 45,505 (27.9 perent 17 and under)
Merrimack County: 16,789 (20.9 percent 17 and under)
Rockingham County: 20,176 (14 percent 17 and under)
Strafford County: 14,856 (21.2 percent 17 and under)
Sullivan County: 6,112 (27.2 percent 17 and under)
*Represents % of general population
*Data is for beneficiaries enrolled at any time during the month; numbers here for July 2012.
As the numbers above show, children make up a major segment of beneficiaries. Beneficiaries by age per the state's three largest counties are: Merrimack County 10,154 (0-17), 5,331 (18-64), 1,304 (65 plus); Hillsborough County 27,859 (0-17), 14,044 (18-64), 3,602 (65 plus); and Rockingham County 12,920 (0-17), 5,634 (18-64), 1,622 (65 plus).
The Commission was created as a state budget compromise. The House and Gov. Maggie Hassan (D-Exeter) pushed for Medicaid expansion, but Senate President Peter Bragdon (R-Milford) said the state should first study what expansion of eligibility means for New Hampshire. The commission aims to conclude its work by Oct. 15.
Commission members, while listening to the presentation Tuesday, asked questions of the state policy leaders on the breadth of the program, eligibility requirements and the nature of the financing. (The state doesn't provide the care; the state pays about 14,000 providers across New Hampshire to deliver the care, Dunn notes.)
Charlie Arlinghaus, a commission member, questioned the progression of the programming. Nobody, he noted, wants to be on Medicaid. "What are we not doing? What's not happening?"
Rep. Neal Kurk (R-Weare) countered his point. Medicaid, he added, is a popular program "for many people for many reasons."
The agenda items Tuesday included eligibility, quality performance measures and community and long-term care services.
At the end of the day, the commission will likely be looking at some kind of "New Hampshire solution," said Sen. Andy Sanborn (R-Bedford).
The DHHS presentation includes a look at the impact of Medicaid apart from expansion, a conceptual model of Medicaid expansion in the state, and potential options for expansion.
Nancy Rollins, associate commissioner of NH DHHS and director of Community Based Care Services, was among the state officials briefing the commission on Medicaid. In fielding some questions, she noted the nuances. "This is one of the most complex programs," she said.
* * * * *
The state Department of Health and Human Services has a webpage dedicated to the commission's work, including the presentation July 16.
NH Medicaid Enrollment, Provider Expenditures, State Fiscal Year 2012 Services
Low Income Children and Foster Care- Average monthly enrollment: 80,765
- % of enrolled: 60
- Expenditures: $233,475,000
- % of expenditures: 22.1
- Average monthly enrollment: 15,932
- % of enrolled: 11.8
- Expenditures: $78,764,000
- % of expenditures: 7.5
- Average monthly enrollment: 1,737
- % of enrolled: 1.3
- Expenditures: $43,170,000
- % of expenditures: 4.1
- Average monthly enrollment: 21,490
- % of enrolled: 16
- Expenditures: $440,494,000
- % of expenditures: 41.7
- Average monthly enrollment: 9,259
- % of enrolled: 6.9
- Expenditures: $252,385,000
- % of expenditures: 23.9
- Average monthly enrollment: 5,317
- % of enrolled: 4
- Expenditures: $7,677,000
- % of expenditures: .7
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