New Hampshire can withdraw from an expanded Medicaid program at any time, according to a letter received Thursday from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, or CMS.
The letter comes as legislative negotiators are poised to meet to finalize the state’s budget.
A point of impasse between the Democratically-held house and Republican-controlled Senate has been an expansion of the state’s Medicaid program.
Republicans say the state could be left footing the bill if the federal government doesn’t meet its promised funding for the program.
Democrats have countered that should that situation arise, the state could, at any time, simply withdraw from the expansion.
Thursday, Washington confirmed that position. A letter to Governor Hassan from Cindy Mann, Director of CMS, reads, "Should the state choose to expand Medicaid coverage, the state may drop that expanded coverage at any time, without financial penalty from the federal government."
Still, that may not be enough to sway top GOP budget writers. They’re instead calling for a commission to study the issue.
