Signed by Governor Chris Sununu

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote on a motion to adopt an "ought to pass" report for a bill that establishes the New Hampshire Granite Advantage Health Care Program and the Granite Workforce program.

Highlights:

• Establishes a 5 year demonstration program to create the New Hampshire Granite Advantage Health Care Program beginning January 1, 2019 (Sec. 1).

• Requires eligible individuals to choose coverage offered by a contracted managed care organization (Sec. 1).

• Requires managed care organizations to employ incentives, including cash incentives and loss of incentives, to achieve cost effectiveness, ensure the appropriate level of care is being utilized, and promote personal responsibility (Sec. 1).

• Requires unemployed participants to spend at least 100 hours per month engaged in one or more work or community engagement activities, including, but not limited to, the following (Sec. 1):

• Employment;

• Job skills training;

• Vocational education training;

• Community service;

• Caregiver services for a nondependent relative; or

• Substance use disorder treatment.

• Authorizes individuals to apply for exemptions from the work requirement in situations including, but not limited to, the following (Sec. 1):

• The birth or death of a family member living with the individual;

• Severe inclement weather preventing work;

• Family emergency or life-changing event; and

• Being a victim of domestic violence or sexual assault.

• Specifies that work requirements do not apply to certain groups, including, but not limited to, the disabled, individuals who are considered medically frail, and pregnant individuals (Sec. 1).

• Requires the Commissioner to implement the work and community engagement requirement beginning January 1, 2019 (Sec. 1).

• Requires the Commissioner of the Department of Health and Human Services to submit applications for necessary waivers to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, including a waiver of the requirement to provide 90 day retroactive coverage (Sec. 1).

• Establishes the New Hampshire Granite Advantage Health Care Trust Fund (Sec. 1).

• Requires the Commissioner to terminate the program if at any time there is a projected shortfall in the Fund’s ability to cover program costs (Sec. 1).

• Requires the Commissioner to terminate the Granite Advantage program if the federal match rate for medical assistance is at any time less than 94 percent in 2018, 93 percent in 2019, and 90 percent in 2020 and all subsequent years (Sec. 11).

• Establishes a Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)  non-assistance pilot program known as Granite Workforce (Sec. 3).

• Specifies that no cash assistance shall be provided to individuals through the Granite Workforce program (Sec. 3).

• Authorizes the Department of Employment Security to determine eligibility and entry to Granite Workforce, and requires the Department to use assessment results to produce a long-term career plan for moving the participant into the middle class (Sec. 3).

• Requires the Commissioner to use allowable funds from the TANF program to provide subsidies to employers in high need areas who participate in the Granite Workforce program (Sec. 3).

• Authorizes a subsidy of $2000 to employers who hire a participant and verify employment and wages with the Department of Employment Security (Sec. 4).

• Authorizes a second subsidy of $2000 to employers who have continuously employed a participant for 3 months and verified employment and wages with the Department (Sec. 4).

• Requires the Department of Employment Security to place Granite Workforce participants in jobs in high needs areas, including, but not limited to, the following (Sec. 7):

• Healthcare;

• Construction;

• Information technology; and

• Hospitality.

• Requires the Department of Health and Human Services to request providers interested in offering case management services to Granite Advantage participants with barriers to employment and authorizes the use of TANF funds allocated to Granite Workforce to pay for services that eliminate barriers to work (Sec. 5).

Full Bill Text