Medicaid in New Hampshire and Vermont

Like many states across the nation, New Hampshire and Vermont face the challenge of addressing the rising costs of health care within the constraints of their individual budgets. Both states’ Medicaid programs are struggling to extend high-quality, accessible, timely, and effective care to needy individuals while also working within the long-term framework of limited resources. Because the factors that contribute to this situation differ across the states, dealing with the situation demands individualized cost control strategies that will have as small an impact as possible on the quality and breadth of health care available to low-income residents. At the same time, Medicaid is provided jointly by the federal and state governments, meaning that both states must work within federal guidelines (please see Appendix for further explanation). This report examines the factors contributing to the strain on Medicaid programs in New Hampshire and Vermont within this context and discusses potential policy options for addressing this issue.