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To Earn His Support, Sununu Says, Senate Health Bill Must Offer States Flexibility

Allegra Boverman for NHPR

Governor Sununu says his staff is reviewing the US Senate’s version of the health care reform bill, made public Thursday.

As the Senate released the bill, Sununu published a letter to Congressional leadership along with New Hampshire Senate Majority Leader Chuck Morse and House Speaker Shawn Jasper.  

The letter clarifies: New Hampshire’s Republican leadership does not support the U.S. House version of the healthcare bill, which could strip insurance from 23 million Americans.

The letter also requests changes to current law that give states "sufficient time, reliable funding, and greater flexibility."

Sununu says he does have hope for the Senate version of the bill.

“We just need the states to have the flexibility to design the systems that work for us.” 

Sununu praised the impact of Medicaid expansion in the state under Obamacare, but did not say if sustained funding for Medicaid expansion is necessary to win his support of the Senate bill. As it is now, that bill would likely decrease the federal government’s share of Medicaid payments over time.

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