Washington, D.C. — Today, Congresswoman Maggie Goodlander voted against the Republican budget reconciliation package that, according to the Congressional Budget Office, would increase the federal deficit by $3.8 trillion and pave the way for trillions in tax handouts to billionaires and big corporations, paid for by the biggest cuts to Medicaid in American history.
“This bill is a bad deal for the people of New Hampshire,” said Congresswoman Goodlander. “It slashes Medicare and Medicaid and will jack up healthcare costs for all Americans. It will devastate hardworking families and raise costs at a time when prices are already sky-high. It’ll pave the way for the biggest deficit increase in American history. For what? To pave the way for trillions in tax giveaways to billionaires and big corporations. I’ve heard from people across our state about the devastation this bill will cause, and that’s why I am a hard no.”
Read what Granite Staters have to say about this package:
“My husband John, a NH native, has had relapsing/remitting Multiple Sclerosis for the past 30 years. Five years ago, in his mid-50s, a significant MS exacerbation took away his ability to be home alone,” said Claudia Dery, from Peterborough. “With me still several years away from retirement and unable to pay the high cost of private care, we went through the daunting process of applying for Medicaid. Since being approved, the adult day program and in-home caregiver services, as well as the caregiving income and health benefits provided by Medicaid’s Choices for Independence program, have become a lifeline. Major cuts to Medicaid would be devastating for us, putting all of these vital caregiving services in jeopardy, as well as the ability for him to stay in his own home and community.”
“Any Cuts to Medicaid would greatly impact my daughter’s well-being and have catastrophic consequences, limiting access to essential needs and services such as palliative care, visiting nursing, therapies to help maintain bodily function and skills, as well as therapy that supports her mental health,” said Angela Fletcher from Stoddard, whose daughter has complex medical issues and multiple disabilities and relies on Medicaid. “These cuts would also make it more difficult to obtain necessary medical supplies that help support nutritional intake, medications that are crucial to survival, and adaptive equipment such as wheelchairs, gait trainers, and shower chairs. Think about this. It currently takes 4-8 months to obtain necessary equipment, and often times at least a month for nutritional supplements to be approved. Imagine how much longer it would take if the budget was cut.”
“Without Medicaid, I would not be able to afford my medication, and the other services that allow me to maintain my wellness and to work at the peer support center,” said Ellen Tavino of Berlin, Program Manager in a North Country Peer Support Center. “Many people I work with would be in the same position. Having to use medication is a struggle for many of us. Add to that, struggling to pay for those medications and other services. Medicaid takes away a lot of stress. I don’t need to worry about how I can afford medication and/or other healthcare services. I witness what happens when people (like me) get enrolled in Medicaid and can then get the care they deserve. Please do not make draconian cuts to a program that lets me stay sane and a productive member of society.”
“There is no question that the magnitude of the Medicaid proposals in the House Budget Reconciliation bill will have devastating consequences for millions of Americans and tens of thousands of Granite Staters who rely on Medicaid coverage for their health and well-being,” said Steve Ahnen, President of the New Hampshire Hospital Association. “The loss of coverage will reduce access to health care for many of our state’s most vulnerable citizens and will make it harder for hospitals to maintain services and be able to serve all of the patients and communities who depend on them to be there when they are needed most.”
“Dartmouth Health is New Hampshire’s largest provider of services to patients on Medicaid. Approximately 15% of all patients (from both New Hampshire and Vermont) served at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center receive Medicaid coverage for their care. We fear the implications for patients,” said Wendy Fielding, MBA, Chief Financial Officer, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center. “If the proposed Medicaid cuts and work and premium contribution requirements for the Medicaid expansion population pass, some of those patients, between 17,000 and 19,000 people, could lose benefits coverage. This includes benefits like vision, dental and mental health coverage. This could result in patients delaying care or avoiding care altogether for themselves or their children, ultimately ending up in a more acute situation in an emergency department. Medicaid coverage has been a lifeline for many of our patients, who are our friends and neighbors from our communities.”
“Mid-State Health Center delivers primary care to the rural communities of central New Hampshire. Many of our patients work hard in lower-wage jobs without health benefits and depend on Medicaid to access the care they need,” said Dr. David Fagan, MD, Mid-State Health Center’s Chief Medical Officer. “If they lose that coverage, they will be forced to delay or forgo care entirely. This not only puts their health at risk, it also threatens the funding Mid-State relies on to continue providing affordable medical, dental, and behavioral health services to the entire community.”
“The proposed Federal legislation being considered currently in Washington is very concerning to individuals we serve and their families,” said Sandy Pelletier, President/CEO, Gateways Community Services. “It threatens to impose new eligibility restrictions and possible funding limitations that would profoundly affect the lives of those we serve, individuals with developmental disabilities, children and adults with autism, aging adults, and veterans. Medicaid serves as a safety net, and these changes could have devastating consequences.”
“Slashing SNAP to fund tax cuts for the wealthy would be absolutely devastating for New Hampshire. SNAP is not only a lifeline for thousands of Granite Staters — it’s the backbone of our broader nutrition infrastructure. These cuts would ripple across the state, threatening programs that feed children every day, including school meals that rely on SNAP data to directly certify eligible students,” said Tiffany Brewster of NH Hunger Solutions. “Weakening SNAP means more kids going hungry, more pressure on local food programs, and more families pushed to the brink. On top of that, this bill would shift administrative and financial burdens onto the state, leading to fewer eligible people enrolled — and even fewer qualifying at all. That means more red tape, more people falling through the cracks, and deeper harm to the very communities SNAP is meant to protect. New Hampshire Hunger Solutions urges Congress to reject this dangerous and short-sighted proposal.”
“This bill would do lasting harm to students and to New Hampshire’s economy. It threatens to cut off opportunity for thousands of low-income and first-generation learners while undermining the colleges and universities that help drive our state’s $7.6 billion higher education economic engine,” said Mica Stark, President & CEO, NH College and University Council. “We urge Congress to reject this flawed legislation and work instead toward policies that expand access and strengthen our talent pipeline.”
“While hard working parents are stretching every dollar we have to afford child care, health care, utilities, and groceries, House Republicans are handing out another massive tax break to billionaires and wealthy corporations—paid for by cutting the very programs that keep our communities afloat, parents in the workforce, and our families healthy,” said MacKenzie Nicholson, Senior Director for MomsRising in NH. “Moms in New Hampshire aren’t asking for luxury—they’re asking for the basics: a safe and healthy birth, a warm meal, a place to drop their kids off so they can work, a birthday present or two. This budget rewards wealth, not work, leaving our families feeling the economic squeeze even more. When billionaires are the winners and families are left cleaning up the mess with higher costs or losing their health insurance, it’s clear the system is rigged against us.”
Republicans’ budget reconciliation package will hurt Granite Staters:
- In New Hampshire, 183,563 people rely on Medicaid for their health care, including 89,195 children and 20,000 seniors.
- Republicans’ burdensome red tape requirements are designed to kick millions of Americans off Medicaid, and their funding cuts to states will lead to cuts in enrollment, benefits, and provider payments, risking hospital closures.
- The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates the Republican budget bill will kick nearly 14 million people across the United States off their health insurance.
- A Congressional Budget Office analysis found that, because the Republican package increases the deficit by trillions of dollars, it will trigger automatic cuts of $490 billion to Medicare.
- More than 60 million American seniors are enrolled in Medicare. In New Hampshire, 341,686 individuals are enrolled in Medicare.
- The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) provides support to over 40 million Americans, including children, seniors, veterans, and working parents, including 77,000 people in New Hampshire.
- Republicans’ tax cuts for billionaires will come at the steep price of gutting SNAP – they attempt to shift part of the blame by forcing states to either pay up or make cuts, while also adding further red tape to make it harder for people to participate in the program.
- According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, 11 million people, or 1 in 4 SNAP participants, live in households at risk of losing food assistance under the Republican budget resolution.
Congresswoman Goodlander has dedicated her life to fighting for a fair deal, including building a tax system that delivers tax breaks for working families, not handouts to billionaires and big corporations. Since taking the oath of office, she has met with health care workers, child care providers, small business owners, first responders, hospitals, veterans, teachers, and more, and heard firsthand about how this legislation will harm NH. Goodlander also served as a Deputy Assistant Attorney General in the United States Department of Justice, where she took on the corporate monopolies hurting NH’s small businesses and held them accountable for jacking up prices and making life harder for Granite Staters.
