Women’s health advocates took to the statehouse today, calling for an expansion of the state’s Medicaid program under the Affordable Care Act. The issue remains a sticking point as lawmakers work to finalize the state’s budget.
Planned Parenthood’s Jennifer Frizzell estimates that 61% of those able to sign up for an expanded Medicaid program are women, and she accuses GOP lawmakers of being oblivious to what they want.
"So here we are again, it is kind of like Groundhog Day," she says. "Republican lawmakers playing politics with women’s health. But this time, they’re also playing politics with our tax dollars."
Frizzell stresses that both the economic and physical health of poor women is on the line.
Republicans say the Federal government can’t be trusted to fully fund an expansion, which would bring coverage to an estimated 60,000 Granite Staters. GOP budget writers are instead calling for a study commission.
Planned Parenthood does stand to benefit financially from expansion. It says it would use additional resources to extend evening and weekend hours at its six facilities around the state.
