Steve Fay: Data suggests readers likely know someone depending on Medicaid

To The Daily Sun,

On Feb. 25, federal House Republicans passed a Budget Blueprint for the upcoming detailed budget discussions that would force deep cuts in health care and food programs for working families, which included Medicaid. The goal is to help fund tax cuts for the ultra-wealthy.

Readers might think they do not know anyone depending on Medicaid, but I would suggest they think again. Statewide, in New Hampshire, in 2023, the most recently publicly available data, one out of every seven NH residents receive Medicaid benefits of some kind (NH Fiscal Policy Institute). In the City of Laconia, 28% of the residents are eligible. This includes nursing home care. By my count, statewide, about 10 towns are in the range of 27-31%. The lowest percentages are Waterville Valley at 4%, Durham at 3% and Hanover at 2%. The highest percent is 40% in the town of Stratford. Such information is available for all towns in NH. There are about 180,000 Medicaid recipients in NH.

I am sharing this to underscore readers better be careful what they wish for because it will include some of their friends and neighbors who have low income, disabilities, long-term care needs.

Steve Fay

Laconia