NH Experts Warn of Massive Coverage Loss, Closures, and Cost Increases Under New Health Care Cuts

CONCORD, NH – New Hampshire is facing its most severe health care crisis in decades, according to leading health and policy experts speaking today at a virtual panel hosted by Protect Our Care NH. They warned that recently passed federal and state health care cuts could result in the loss of coverage for tens of thousands of residents, force the closure of clinics and hospitals, and drive insurance premiums up by as much as 70 percent in 2026. These impacts, they said, would ripple across the state’s economy, affecting patients, small businesses, and an already strained workforce.
Panelists noted that more than 20,000 Granite Staters could lose Medicaid coverage under new eligibility restrictions and work requirements, while more could be left without reliable access to care. “When you strip away coverage from this many people, you’re not just hurting individuals—you’re destabilizing the entire health care system,” said Edward D. Shanshala, Chief Executive Officer of Ammonoosuc Community Health Services. “We will see more uncompensated care, more emergency room visits, and fewer resources to invest in keeping people healthy.”

“New Hampshire is projected to lose approximately $2.3 billion in federal Medicaid funding over the next decade—while 20,000 Granite Staters could lose coverage due to new work requirements," said Phil Sletten, Research Director, New Hampshire Fiscal Policy Institute.

This crisis comes at a time when rural hospitals are already under intense financial and staffing pressures, making them vulnerable to closure. Insurance premiums in New Hampshire are projected to rise sharply, with preliminary rate filings showing average increases of over 21 percent, and national experts warning that the loss of enhanced premium tax credits under the Affordable Care Act could push some premiums more than 75 percent higher. “For families and small businesses, these kinds of cost hikes are simply unsustainable,” said Christin H. D’Ovidio of Putney Consulting. “When health insurance becomes unaffordable, people delay care, conditions worsen, and costs actually go up for everyone.”

The economic stakes are significant. National research has found that allowing enhanced premium tax credits to expire could cost states billions in GDP, eliminate hundreds of thousands of jobs, and reduce state and local tax revenues by billions of dollars. For New Hampshire, where health care is one of the largest employment sectors, such cuts would undermine economic stability as well as public health. “This is not just a health care problem—it’s an economic problem,” added Shanshala. “The health sector is a major employer in New Hampshire, and every job lost or service cut has a ripple effect through the community.”

Protect Our Care NH called for immediate policy action to protect Medicaid expansion, preserve ACA subsidies, and strengthen the state’s health care infrastructure. “The solutions are within reach,” said Jayme Simoes, of Protect Our Care NH. “But every day we delay, we put patients, providers, and the economy at greater risk. We can’t afford to wait until the damage is done.”
You can watch the full event here.