New Hampshire Senate Pres Proposes $38M Budget Fix

CONCORD, NH - New Hampshire Senate President Chuck Morse is proposing moving $38 million from the state's general fund to cover care from area hospitals. According to the AP, the amendment to an unrelated related bill, would reduce spending and make room for the escrow money.

The problem stems from an ongoing, legal battle over how much state and federal governments must pay hospitals for uncompensated care under the Medicaid law. Last year, the legislature set aside $166 million for an uncompensated care fund in fiscal 2018.

The Trump administration is expected to appeal the March 6 ruling, but in the meantime, Morse wants to put the money aside until the litigation is resolved. He said state officials have been negotiating with hospitals to reach a compromise but haven’t been able to come to an agreement.

Morse told the Concord Monitor that Senate leaders are working to amend existing bills to reduce spending and make room for the escrow money, but he wouldn’t comment on which areas could be affected.
“You don’t take $38 million out of New Hampshire’s budget without it hurting something,” he said.
Senate Minority Leader Jeff Woodburn, D-Whitefield, called the amendment a hastily put together attempt to rectify Governor Sununu’s reckless mismanagement of our state budget.”

To read the full story, head over to the Washington Post.

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