Periklis Karoutas

CONCORD, NH – Senator Jeb Bradley (R-Wolfeboro) and Representative Joseph Lachance (R-Manchester) today spoke at a press conference on legislation aimed at reforming and reauthorizing the New Hampshire Health Protection Plan alongside a number of supportive advocacy organizations representing citizens and businesses across the state. The current program is set to expire December 2016.

HB 1696, sponsored by Representative Lachance, will be heard in the House Health, Human Services and Elderly Affairs Committee on Thursday, Jan. 28 at 9:00 a.m. in Representatives Hall.

“We believe the New Hampshire Health Protection Program is working with more than 47,000 New Hampshire citizens signed on to this program. Evidence that the cost of uncompensated care has been reduced by nearly $150 million, additional common sense work requirements for those who are able bodied and built in taxpayer protections makes reauthorizing this program for two more years the right thing to do for New Hampshire,” said Senate Majority Leader Jeb Bradley (R-Wolfeboro).

“The program originally created was a New Hampshire specific program to provide private health insurance to needy families without adding to the burden faced by our state’s taxpayers and as an alternative to the cookie-cutter Obama Care Expanded Medicaid plan. The reauthorization plan we’ve developed meets those same goals with taxpayer protections in place while ensuring our neediest citizens receive health care.”

“As part of our plan, we will fund reauthorization without new or increased taxes or general funds. The hospitals and insurers have agreed to voluntarily fund a portion of the state’s share of reauthorization costs, which dips from 100% to 95% federal contribution in 2017. We also built additional taxpayer protections into the program by ending the program should federal funding or any other funding sources fall short of program costs. As part of our goal to help Granite Staters get back to work, this plan requires additional common sense work requirements already required for state and federal assistance programs and continues modest co-pays. We believe this makes sense for needy families and individuals and for taxpayers. I urge my colleagues in the House to consider and support this plan, ” said Bradley.

“The proposed modifications to the New Hampshire Health Protection program are consistent with our New Hampshire values and principles. Personal responsibility measures are key for continuing success of this program and we seek a work requirement for able bodied adults, a co-payment for inappropriate use of the emergency room and there are modifications ensuring that this program is being used by those for whom it is intended,” said Representative Joseph Lachance.

“I am pleased to be a part of an effort to continue the NH HPP without impacting New Hampshire taxpayers or general funds. That is the key component to my support for the legislation and the program will not continue unless it is funded by outside sources. Most importantly, I’m proud to say that this bill represents how, in New Hampshire, we can continue to do things our own way,” said Lachance.

###

Concord, NH – Critical Senate bills aimed at curbing the heroin and opioid crisis in New Hampshire, recommended by the Joint Task Force on the response to the heroin and opioid crisis and passed by both the House and Senate, became law today.

The Senate bills signed into law takes several steps to help curb the heroin crisis, including: increasing penalties for the possession of heroin, creating parity among insurance companies for providing addiction treatment services, and allowing for expanded use of the Prescription Drug Monitoring program.

Senate Majority Leader Jeb Bradley (R- Wolfeboro), prime sponsor of the one the bills signed into law, issued the following statement:

“While the legislation enacted today will not solve our the drug epidemic facing New Hampshire, it will provide additional tools for law enforcement and the medical community and families seeking treatment for loved ones suffering from heroin addiction. These bills establish a coordinated approach to increase drug and substance abuse prevention efforts, treatment, and recovery in order to curb the heroin and opioid crisis in the state of New Hampshire,” said Senate Majority Leader Jeb Bradley.

“The Legislature will continue to focus on combating addiction and addressing the heroin crisis by taking up additional proposals recommended by the joint Task Force, including Drug Courts, expanded interdiction efforts, and working with the medical boards to adopt new ruled for prescribing opioid, among others in the days and weeks to come. Our work here is not yet done, but this is a great step forward and we ask members of the public, law enforcement and the medical community to continue to partner with us in this critical effort,” Bradley added.

Photo caption: Senate Majority Leader Jeb Bradley praises the legislators, advocates, stakeholders and the medical community for their work on the expedited Senate bills signed into law today to help curb the heroin and opioid crisis in New Hampshire.

###

Concord, NH – A bill relative to net energy metering, SB 333, was heard in committee today, which increases the cap for customers who are generating renewable energy and are selling it to utility companies.

“Building on the progress we made last session aimed at reducing energy rates for New Hampshire residents and businesses, this bill serves to increase the cap for energy generating customers who sell surplus supply to utilities. Removing the cap will not only encourage expanded energy diversity and use of renewable energy resources by homeowners but will encourage growth in the solar and renewable energy industry in our state as well,” said Senate Majority Leader Jeb Bradley, who chairs the Energy and Natural Resources Committee.

“While there are benefits of increasing this cap, we need to make sure that in a region with some of the highest energy costs in the nation, energy customers who do not take advantage of residential solar are not burdened by high electric rates due to renewable energy subsidies. This bill offers a realistic compromise that will keep rates in check for both regular ratepayers and renewable energy customers.”

###

Concord, NH – Today, three bills recommended for expedited review by the Joint Task Force on the response to the heroin and opioid crisis were heard and passed in a joint committee hearings and will be voted on by the full Senate this Thursday.

Senator Majority Leader Jeb Bradley (R-Wolfeboro), issued the following statement on the expedited legislation.

“I am proud to see all three bills marked “expedited review” passed out of committee today so the full Senate can vote on them this Thursday. We are on track to have these bills on the Governor’s desk by the end of January as we planned to do,” said Senate Majority Leader Jeb Bradley (R-Wolfeboro), who chaired the Joint Task Force

“SB 576, a bill that I sponsored, which addresses a number of critical preventative and treatment measures aimed at curbing the heroin crisis. This legislation strengthens the penalties for possessing or selling fentanyl to match those of heroin, provides a uniform standard for insurers to cover treatment for addicts seeking care, allows general funds to be used to update the Prescription Drug Monitoring program, and adds two members, including a physician who practices pain medicine or anesthesiology, to the board of medicine medical review committee,” Bradley added

“The Senate and House will continue to work diligently, closely examining other bills related to curbing the opioid crisis that addresses the areas of prevention, treatment, recovery and interdiction in a holistic and effective way as we continue our work this session.”

The legislation passed in committee includes:

SB 369-FN –

SB 576-FN-A –

SB 447-FN –

###

Concord, NH – The Joint Task Force for the response to the heroin and opioid epidemic held a public hearing, taking testimony from individuals and key stakeholders related to the crisis. The Joint Task Force also unanimously adopted the final report.

Senator Jeb Bradley (R-Wolfeboro), Task Force Chair, issued the following statement following today’s public hearing:

“Today’s public hearing served as an emotional reminder that the heroin and opioid crisis has touched the lives of families across the state from many different walks of life. The experiences we heard served to strengthen the task force’s resolve to continue our work to expeditiously eliminate this heroin and opioid crisis using the tools and processes available to us as legislators,” said Senator Jeb Bradley.

“We’ve made significant progress in the past few weeks reviewing and vetting legislation with key stakeholders, focusing on all aspects of this crisis including prevention, interdiction, treatment, and recovery. The Senate and House will host joint public hearings on Jan. 12 on three bills marked for expedited review, followed by Senate committee votes the same day. We expect to see those bills on the Governor’s desk by the end of the month,” added Bradley.

Legislation to be heard during the joint public hearings includes:

•   SB 576 – Increasing penalties for distributing fentanyl to match those for heroin, eliminating insurer’s prior authorization requirements so individuals seeking outpatient substance abuse treatment can obtain it without delay, continuing medical education relating to prescribing opioids, and stronger requirements for providers to use the prescription drug monitoring system
•   SB 447 – Studying expanded distribution of Narcan
•   SB 369 – Expanding alcohol and drug education in schools

   ###