NHNA Speaks Out

The New Hampshire Nurses' Association (NHNA) sponsored a press conference to urge state legislators not to delay Medicaid expansion. On Fri., Oct. 18, 2013, several individuals spoke in the Savage Welcome Center about the benefits of the expanding program and how the expansion will help granite staters.
"We support increased coverage to improve access to mental healthcare...we need to sustain community mental health," said Maggie Pritchard, the Executive Director of Genesis Behavioral Health. With the expansion to Medicaid, Pritchard believes that no one will be denied coverage because they can't pay for it. People with no insurance tend to access care through the most expensive means: trips to the emergency room, ambulance rides, etc. With more Medicaid, people would be able to access a wide variety of ongoing coverage needed in mental health diagnoses.
The current state of healthcare tends to dictate that people with the highest risk are getting treatment at the highest cost. This problem of money does not apply to the New Hampshire expansion of Medicaid. "It will be fully funded for the first seven years, and won't cost the state a dime," said Barbara McElory, a certified nurse. This means that millions of dollars of state funds once used for Medicaid could come back into the state as the federal government picks up the check. "Having more people receiving coverage might put a strain on the system, but these same people are costing the system," said McElory.
Millie Sattler, an Emergency Room nurse, shared real-life stories about running expensive tests for a man who came in with chest pain. The man was suffering from anxiety. The high cost of his treatment could have been prevented if he had gotten the necessary treatment earlier. "Pay now, or pay later," said Sattler. "Paying now with preventive [care] saves money down the road."
NHNA and those who spoke believe this Medicaid expansion is a step in the right direction to improving healthcare. "In the current environment, healthcare is administered based on the bill you pay, not health and needs," said Pritchard. "Healthcare should be available to every citizen."