On the 15th Anniversary of the ACA, NH Celebrates the Health Care Accomplishments but Worries about the Future for Granite Staters

Watch the full event here

(Concord, NH) – On Monday, March 24, Edward D. Shanshala, Lisa Beaudoin, and Jake Berry joined Protect Our Care NH to highlight ongoing threats to American healthcare as the Affordable Care Act (ACA) marks its 15th anniversary.

For over a decade, millions of Americans have gained quality, affordable healthcare through the ACA. Today, more Granite Staters have coverage than ever before, and insurance rates statewide are at record highs. Yet there are those in Congress who support efforts to undermine this progress, aiming to remove vital tax credits that help New Hampshire families save thousands annually and proposing to slash Medicaid funding by at least $880 billion—putting healthcare at risk for working families and vulnerable populations statewide.

“In Washington, proposals to slash Medicaid by as much as $800 billion over the next decade pose a real and frightening threat to New Hampshire. Even a fraction of those cuts would severely harm coverage for individuals with disabilities, families, and pregnant mothers. And here, the stakes are uniquely high: New Hampshire is one of just nine states with a trigger law, meaning if federal Medicaid funding drops by even one dollar below the current 90% level, Medicaid expansion would immediately end—no votes, no debate, just immediate loss of coverage. The consequences would be devastating.”" said Edward D. Shanshala, CEO of Ammonoosuc Community Health Services.

He explained “As a community health center serving 30,000 residents across 26 towns, we see firsthand how the Affordable Care Act impacts real lives. Today, more than 500 of our patients have coverage through Medicaid expansion. I think of tax credits as a powerful co-investment—we’re all investing together in the health and wellness of our friends, family, and neighbors. I know entrepreneurs in our community who simply wouldn’t have insurance without the ACA; one illness could wipe out their dreams. This is what meaningful investment in community healthcare looks like.”

Lisa Beaudoin, from Strategies for Disability Equity said that “In the fall of 2024, a record-breaking 70,000 Granite Staters signed up for marketplace insurance—phenomenal progress. Since 2014, over 250,000 Granite Staters have utilized Medicaid expansion at least once, which is remarkable. These numbers represent real lives—low-income workers able to stay employed because they have essential healthcare, families avoiding crushing uncompensated care costs, and caregivers of individuals with disabilities finally receiving crucial support. This often overlooked population has benefited tremendously from the ACA and Medicaid expansion.” Working alongside New Futures, Strategies for Disability Equity’s  #HandsOffMedicaid campaign has tailored resources for Medicaid HCBS waiver families and individuals who want to take action steps highlighting how important Medicaid’s long-term care is for the disability community.” 

Jake Berry, Vice President for Policy from New Futures emphasized “There’s a powerful coalition of more than 90 healthcare providers and advocacy organizations across New Hampshire that have joined forces to launch NHNeedsMedicaid.com. This website provides vital resources about Medicaid, clarifies what’s at stake, and offers actionable steps—from sharing your story to contacting your legislators and the governor. We strongly encourage everyone to visit NHNeedsMedicaid.com and get involved.”

He continued  “Medicaid expansion under the ACA has become a critical lifeline for many of our most vulnerable friends and neighbors. It has also benefited everyone across the state by reducing uncompensated care and keeping healthcare costs in check. In many ways, Medicaid expansion is the bedrock of our behavioral health system—it enabled us to expand substance use and mental health treatment programs and address today's pressing healthcare challenges.”

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[Watch the full event  here] and learn more about efforts to raise healthcare costs and their attacks on Medicaid.