MANCHESTER, NH – Gov. Chris Sununu on Wednesday penned a letter to President Trump, outlining the dire situation some 50,000 New Hampshire residents face under the threat of sharply increasing healthcare premiums here, and the possible collapse of NH’s healthcare system.
In lieu of enacting reformed healthcare system as promised, Congress has stalled out and Sununu, like Trump, believes they should not abandon the effort to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act. However, Sununu outlined in the Aug. 9 letter the “dire” situation here – two of the five individual insurance carriers have left the market since last year, and the two main providers for a majority of insured, Harvard Pilgrim and Anthem, last week proposed rate increases for next year of 40 percent.
As Sununu continues to negotiate with insurance providers here, in the letter he urges Trump join his efforts through federal initiatives, in “building a bridge” to reform.
Sununu is asking for:
- A “clear roadmap forward” for insurers, bringing stability to the state system;
- A commitment of funds that would stabilize state markets from constraints of the 1332 waiver process
- Additional time for carriers and states to file 2018 rates, beyond the current Aug. 16 deadline, which has become an insurmountable task, given al the uncertainty created by lack of action in Washington, D.C.
“It is clear that Obamacare is collapsing under its own weight and while New Hampshire alone cannot fix Obamacare, I believe state leaders have a responsibility to our citizens to do what we can at the state level to provide stability to those who rely on the individual market for their health care,” says Sununu in closing.
On July 12, Congresswoman Ann McLane Kuster, D-NH, as a co-chair of the New Democrat Coalition Affordable and Accessible Health Care Task Force, put forth a five-part plan, titled Solutions over Politics, aimed at stabilizing the individual market while protecting people with pre-existing plans. The bullet points include:
- Create a Permanent Reinsurance Program
- Reduce Copays and Deductibles for Low-Income Americans
- Promote Coverage and Ensure People Pay their Fair Share
- Create More Affordable Options
- Make Additional Improvements to the Health Insurance Market
How to contact NH’s members of Congress
Read Sununu’s full letter below:
