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Senators hear broad support for expanding Medicare savings programs to help low‑income seniors
Summary
Witnesses including AARP, legal aid and advocacy groups told the Senate Health & Human Services Committee that Senate Bill 122 would help low‑income older adults afford Medicare premiums and out‑of‑pocket costs by raising income limits and removing asset tests from state‑administered Medicare Savings Programs.
Lawmakers were urged to expand eligibility for New Hampshire’s Medicare Savings Programs (MSPs) during a lengthy Senate Health & Human Services Committee hearing. Proponents said the changes in Senate Bill 122 would reduce health‑care costs and help older residents remain in their homes.
Senator Sydney Rosenwald, who introduced the bill, told the committee the change would raise the income thresholds and remove asset tests to match neighboring states’ recent policy shifts. “As the second most rapidly aging state in the country, if we can't help our low‑income seniors pay for their Medicare coverage so they can access health care, what are we even doing here?” Rosenwald asked.
Witnesses from AARP New Hampshire, the Partnership for Public Health (the state SHIP program), the New Hampshire Alliance for Healthy Aging, and legal services gave similar testimony. Mary Robersch, testifying for AARP New Hampshire, said the bill would raise income limits for the Qualified Medicare Beneficiary (QMB) and Specified Low‑Income Medicare Beneficiary (SLMB) programs and remove resource limits that disqualify people with modest savings.
Witnesses described how MSPs help pay Part B premiums, Medicare deductibles and cost‑sharing, and how eligibility for MSPs also opens access to the federal low‑income subsidy for Medicare prescription drugs. Judith Jones (New Futures) and Sheryl Steinberg (New Hampshire Legal Assistance) emphasized that expanded MSP eligibility could let more older adults remain in the community and avoid more‑expensive nursing home care covered by Medicaid.
Medicaid and department officials provided initial fiscal context. Rob Berry, general counsel for the Division of Medicaid, and David Chorney, deputy Medicaid director, told the committee the division’s draft estimate showed an initial general‑fund cost (to expand the QMB tier) in the low‑millions per year, with some potential offset if expanded MSP enrollment reduces future Medicaid long‑term care expense. Officials said additional analysis on administrative impacts and possible savings to residential and nursing‑care spending would be included in the formal fiscal note.
The committee also heard that removing the asset test could reduce administrative burdens (no resource tests), and that increased MSP enrollment would automatically increase eligibility for the federal Low‑Income Subsidy (LIS) for drug costs, creating federal savings and benefit to beneficiaries.
Ending
Committee members asked staff to produce a full fiscal note and follow‑up analyses on projected enrollment, federal match rates and potential offsets before committee action. Supporters said the bill would provide immediate relief for low‑income older adults and could save state money if it prevents institutionalizations.
