New Hampshire Public Health Association

12/13/2025

With Obamacare premium hikes, more people opting for no coverage or cheaper plans

Early state data reflects signs of financial strain for people who can’t afford to pay hundreds of dollars more in monthly premiums once enhanced federal subsidies expire at the end of the year.

Early state data reflects signs of financial strain for people who can’t afford to pay hundreds of dollars more in monthly premiums once enhanced federal subsidies expire at the end of the year.

12/12/2025

CDC Panel Drops Recommendation That All Babies Get Hep B Shot at Birth
— Panel adopts shared decision-making policy; dissenters say it endangers children, lacks evidence

Panel adopts shared decision-making policy; dissenters say it endangers children, lacks evidence

12/12/2025

Read our statement regarding the Senate’s failure today to advance a health care bill. We can't let 5 million people lose their coverage! https://vist.ly/4i6z7

12/12/2025

The Senate on Thursday rejected legislation to extend Affordable Care Act tax credits, essentially guaranteeing that millions of Americans will see a steep rise in costs at the beginning of the year.

Senators rejected a Democratic bill to extend the subsidies for three years and a Republican alternative that would have created new health savings accounts — an unceremonious end to a monthslong effort by Democrats to prevent the COVID-19-era subsidies from expiring on Jan. 1.

https://apnews.com/article/health-care-vote-affordable-care-act-obamacare-6ffc1ea9f878c6b3da995589ef8a012c #

The Senate has rejected legislation to extend Affordable Care Act tax credits, essentially guaranteeing that millions of Americans will see a steep rise in costs at the beginning of the year.

12/11/2025

New Hampshire health officials are urging parents to continue the standard hepatitis B vaccination regimen for newborns despite a vote from a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention committee to remove the recommendation.

The CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices voted 8-3 last week to remove the universal recommendation for the hepatitis B vaccine at birth.

New Hampshire health officials are urging parents to continue the standard hepatitis B vaccination regimen for newborns despite a vote from a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention committee to remove the recommendation.

12/11/2025

With existing Affordable Care Act tax subsidies nearing expiration, the Senate is preparing to vote on two competing proposals — one from Democrats and one from Republicans — even though neither is expected to reach the 60 votes required to advance.

Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., said the outcome appears all but predetermined. On Morning Edition, she explained that "people are seeing their insurance rates come through, and they are doubling, tripling, in some cases, even more." If Congress fails to act, she warned, "we're going to see a lot of people who are going to lose their health insurance."

With ACA tax credits set to expire, Sen. Jeanne Shaheen says premiums are "doubling, tripling" and warns "millions" could lose coverage if Congress fails to act.

12/11/2025

With subsidies for the Affordable Care Act set to expire for millions of Americans at the end of the month, the Senate plans to vote on two health care related bills Thursday, but both are expected to fail.

In a trade-off to reopen the government following the longest shutdown in U.S. history, Senate Republicans promised Democrats a vote on a bill of their choosing to extend the subsidies. Democrats are seeking a three-year extension of the subsidies, warning that without one health care premiums are predicted to skyrocket at the start of the 2026.

While both parties agree on the need to address healthcare costs, the Democratic proposal doesn't have enough GOP support to pass. Republicans have argued that extending the subsidies would allow what they describe as Obamacare "waste, fraud and abuse" to continue, while lining the pockets of insurance companies.

The Senate is set to vote on dueling health care proposals. Both plans are likely to fail, even as Affordable Care Act premiums are set to skyrocket at the end of the year.

12/11/2025

A new vaccine being developed for whooping cough could offer better protection and stop the infection spreading, scientists have said.
Eleven babies died among about 15,000 cases of whooping cough reported in England in 2024, up from 856 the year before.
At present, babies, children and pregnant women are all offered a vaccine on the NHS to protect against the illness.
The new nasal spray vaccine, developed in Southampton, works by stopping the bacteria from living in the nose and throat, offering longer-lasting protection for everyone, not just newborns.

The Southampton-developed vaccine appears to offer longer-lasting protection.

12/10/2025

Flu season is upon us and, this year, doctors say it could be a little more intense.

Last year, at the tail end of the flu season, Influenza A strain H3n2 started spreading, and it led to high rates of hospitalization. This year, that still seems to be the dominant strain going around, and this year’s flu vaccine doesn’t target it specifically.

“There seems to be a mismatch with the current influenza vaccine that we issued in the United States and other countries,” said Dr. Gabriela Andujar Vazquez, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center’s hospital epidemiologist. “So that sometimes means the vaccine is protective, but not as protective as we have hoped.”

She said health professionals are concerned as they watch cases rise, and it might prompt more cases than prior seasons.

Andujar said good hygiene — like washing hands and limiting contact with others when sick — is still important for flu season, along with getting the flu vaccine.

A dominant flu strain may be tough to handle this winter season, but NH health professionals say washing hands and staying home while sick will help protect yourself and others.

12/10/2025

The New Hampshire Public Health Association (NHPHA) has announced the election of five distinguished public health leaders to its Board of Directors. Collectively, these individuals bring decades of expertise across public health practice, research, education, global health, and advocacy. Their leadership will help advance NHPHA’s mission to promote and protect the health of all Granite Staters.

“NHPHA plays a vital role in delivering credible public health information, building workforce capacity, and supporting advocacy throughout the state,” said NHPHA Executive Director, Tory Jennison, PhD, RN. “These new Board members bring extraordinary expertise and commitment. Their leadership will help guide our work and ensure public health remains a statewide priority.”

https://www.nhpha.org/blog/nhpha-welcomes-five-new-public-health-leaders-to-its-board-of-directors

12/10/2025

A mistaken calculation in the design of a new state psychiatric hospital is pushing back the project’s completion date until late 2027, and will potentially leave New Hampshire taxpayers on the hook for an additional $5 million.

The error in the building’s foundation was found earlier this year, leading to a months-long work stoppage while engineers determined how to correct the problem.

A recently negotiated settlement calls for an insurance company for one of the project’s building contractors to pay the state $9.9 million to account for the foundation fix. But during Wednesday’s Executive Council meeting, officials said the delay — combined with the costs to redesign the hospital — could run closer to $15 million, or $5 million less than the insurance payment.

An insurance company is paying $9.9 million following an error detected in the building’s construction. Project delays, though, could bring the cost overrun closer to $15 million.

12/09/2025

For Many Contractors, Losing ACA Subsidies Means Losing Health Care

The unprecedented premium hikes put chronically ill workers—especially freelancers—in peril.

The GOP's unprecedented premium hikes put chronically ill workers—especially freelancers—in peril.