Senators Shaheen, Hassan Cosponsor Amendment to Protect Health Care Coverage for Over 50,000 Granite Staters

(Washington, DC) — U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) today co-sponsored a budget amendment aimed at protecting health insurance coverage for over 50,000 Granite Staters who receive coverage – including coverage for behavioral health services and substance misuse treatment – through New Hampshire’s bipartisan Medicaid expansion program.

The amendment, introduced by Senator Menendez (D-NJ), would establish a budget point of order to prevent any legislation that increases the overall number of uninsured, decreases enrollment in Medicaid in expansion states, or leads to any increase in state spending on Medicaid.  

“There’s no question that Medicaid expansion has made the Granite State healthier,” said Senator Shaheen. “It’s also been an essential tool in battling the opioid epidemic. In New Hampshire in 2015, more than 48,000 Medicaid claims were submitted for vital substance use disorder treatment. New Hampshire simply cannot afford to lose this coverage.”

“Medicaid expansion is providing quality, affordable health care coverage – including coverage for behavioral health services and substance misuse treatment – to tens of thousands of Granite Staters and millions of Americans, and it is critical that we protect and preserve this coverage,” said Senator Maggie Hassan. “I will continue working every day to stand up for the people of New Hampshire and fight any attempts to repeal their health insurance coverage.”

States that have expanded Medicaid stand to see 11 million people lose their coverage. In New Hampshire, repealing Medicaid expansion would result in over 50,000 Granite Staters losing access to health care coverage, including critical coverage for substance abuse treatment.

The amendment is also co-sponsored by Senators Tom Carper (D-Del.), Bob Casey (D-Pa.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Al Franken (D-Minn.), Richard Durbin (D-Ill.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Edward Markey (D-Mass.), Diane Feinstein (D-Calif.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Tom Udall (D-N.M.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).