Why Does Medicaid Matter?
Medicaid provides health insurance coverage for hundreds of thousands of Granite Staters, helping us get the care we need to live healthier lives. Over 187,000 New Hampshire residents are currently enrolled in Medicaid, which is 13% of our population. Nearly half of our state's Medicaid recipients are children. Along with the positive impacts on health outcomes, Medicaid supports our economy, benefits our state budget, and strengthens our workforce.
Who Medicaid Helps in NH
1 in 4
NH children are covered by Medicaid (over 86,000 kids).
1 in 10
veterans are covered by Medicaid.
5 in 8
nursing home residents are covered by Medicaid.
1 in 4
people with disabilities are covered by Medicaid (over 15,600 people).
Over 90%
of adults on Medicaid are either working, caring for a child or loved one, managing an illness or disability, or attending school.
22%
of births in NH are covered by Medicaid.
Source: KFF
The Economic Impact
Medicaid has a significant impact on New Hampshire's economy. Medicaid:
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Creates Jobs: Medicaid has added thousands of new and good-paying jobs—with employment growth across all sectors, including health care, construction, finance and insurance, and retail—growing our economy and putting more money in families’ wallets.
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Supports our Workforce and Small Businesses: Medicaid provides low-wage employees with needed access to affordable health coverage to keep them healthy and working.
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Keeps Rural Hospitals Open: Medicaid helps keep hospitals in our rural communities open, where there's a critical need for services. Research shows that hospitals in expansion states are 84% less likely to close than in non-expansion states, with rural hospitals being 62% less likely to close.​​​
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Provides Cost Savings: Medicaid reduces emergency room visits and hospital costs by providing coverage for preventive care and early treatment, ultimately lowering overall health care spending.
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Reduces Uncompensated Care: By covering low-income individuals, Medicaid helps reduce the burden of uncompensated care on hospitals and health care providers, lowering the financial strain on the state's health care system.
The Impact on Mental Health and Substance Use
One in three New Hampshire adults covered by Medicaid expansion access mental health care (over 25,000 people) or substance use disorder treatment (nearly 7,500 people). Nationally, Medicaid is the largest single source of funding for mental health and substance use care. Medicaid pays for essential services including medications, case management, therapy, peer supports, and crisis care. Medicaid makes a real difference, helping our residents receive the care they need to get healthy and participate in our communities.
The Impact on Uninsured Rates
Medicaid is proven to improve the health of recipients by providing consistent access to essential health care services. Medicaid has dramatically lowered the percentage of uninsured individuals in New Hampshire, contributing to a 42.3% decline in the number of Granite Staters without health coverage in just five years following the start of Medicaid expansion.
Source: NHFPI
Source: NHFPI
Granite Staters Overwhelmingly Support Medicaid
76% of New Hampshire residents, regardless of politicial affiliation, hold favorable views of Medicaid.