Policy Blog NH

NH's latest pension reforms: Tallying the bottom line

The Center’s latest Policy Note examines the potential impact of the recent slate of reforms to New Hampshire’s pension system. While those reforms will likely lower overall pension costs for public employers as a whole, the impact will vary considerably between the state and local government levels. In fact, under every likely scenario analyzed by the Center, the new reforms will yield year-over-year savings for the state, while local governments – the towns, cities and school districts who pay into the retirement system – will see higher pension costs, year over year.

You can read the full Policy Note for a more thorough analysis, but here are a few graphics illustrating the trends behind the recent push for reform and the potential fiscal impacts of those changes.

Understanding recent changes to NH's Medicaid program

A coalition of 10 New Hampshire hospitals filed suit against the state earlier this week, challenging recent changes in the state's Medicaid program contained in the new two-year budget.

Medicaid is a joint state-federal program that provides health insurance for the poor and some people with disabilities. The hospitals' lawsuit claims that recent cuts in Medicaid reimbursements will jeopardize access for the populations served by that program.

The program at the heart of the dispute is called the Disproportionate Share Program, which has existed in New Hampshire since 1991.  Recent changes to the program mean that many New Hampshire hospitals will experience reductions in Medicaid revenues as a result of the methods used to fund and distribute that money.

The Center has prepared this presentation, which was originally developed as part of the state 2012-2013 budget process, to provide an overview of the program, the recent changes, and the potential impacts for the state's health systems and communities.

For more information about New Hampshire's health care system, click here.