CONCORD- House Majority Leader Richard Hinch (R-Merrimack) released the following statement in reaction to legislative service requests by New Hampshire House Democrats seeking to establish and/or study single payor health care plans in the state.
“This past weekend, we had an avowed socialist, Bernie Sanders, here in New Hampshire raising money for Democrats, and promoting his plan for socialized medicine. Meanwhile, Democrats in the state legislature are proposing legislation to study or establish single-payer health care,” said Hinch. “
“New Hampshire Democrats just need to look next door to Vermont to realize that single payer health care is not feasible. According to reports, the plan that failed there in 2014 would have required an 11.5% payroll tax on employers and a 9.5% income tax in addition to the state’s existing income tax. The fact that we’re seeing legislation to even study the issue baffles me. Vermont studied it, and rejected it because it would have bankrupted their state.”
Legislative service requests (LSRs) proposed by Democrat members of the New Hampshire House:
18-2204 establishing a commission to assess benefits and costs of a “health care for all” program for New Hampshire.
Sponsors: Richard McNamara; Knirk, Jerry; Butler, Edward; Smith, Suzanne
18-2236 establishing a commission to examine the feasibility of the New England states entering into a compact for a single payor health care program.
Sponsors: Peter Schmidt
18-2233 establishing a New Hampshire single payor health care system.
Sponsors: Peter Schmidt
Background: Text of legislative service requests are not made public until the sponsor approves the draft bill, or makes the text of the draft available prior to their approval. The sign-off deadline for House members is this Friday, October 27th.