New Hampshire Healthcare in Crisis: Why NARFA’s Solution Beats the Chaos and Members Win

A Healthcare Crisis Hitting New Hampshire Businesses Hard

New Hampshire’s healthcare system is in turmoil, and employers like you are bearing the brunt. Hidden costs, workforce shortages, and strained hospital finances are driving up premiums and limiting access to care. The instability is real—but so is the solution. At NARFA, we’re responding with innovative healthcare options that put you in control. In this post, we’ll break down the chaos in New Hampshire’s healthcare landscape and show why NARFA’s approach is the smart choice for your business.

The Chaos in New Hampshire Healthcare: Startling Facts You Need to Know

The numbers don’t lie—New Hampshire’s healthcare system is under pressure, and it’s impacting your bottom line. Here’s what’s fueling the crisis:

Insurer Instability: Big Financial Woes

An example of insurer instability in New Hampshire is Point32, the parent company of Harvard Pilgrim and Tufts Health Plan, is in dire straits. In 2024, it reported a staggering $382 million loss, with a projected $198 million loss in 2025. Facing a $70 million (and rising) bill for weight-loss drugs, the insurer cut 110 jobs to stem the bleeding. This shaky financial situation signals trouble ahead—think higher premiums and restricted care access for your employees.

Workforce Shortages Straining Care Delivery

New Hampshire’s healthcare sector is short-staffed. Employment in healthcare and social assistance averaged 325 positions below 2019 levels in the first eight months of 2023, despite a growing population. Fewer workers mean longer wait times and lower care quality—challenges that hit your workforce’s health and productivity.

Prescription Drug Costs Skyrocketing

Pharmacy spending accounted for 15% of healthcare expenditures for the commercially insured in New Hampshire in 2022. With national drug cost trends climbing, this burden is only growing, forcing businesses to absorb higher expenses.

Hospitals on the Brink

In 2022, 40% of New Hampshire hospitals operated with negative margins, and the median operating margin was just 1.2%. These thin finances often lead to cost-shifting, where hospitals raise rates for private insurers—driving up your premiums.

Medicaid Underpayments and Access Barriers

Hospitals received only 86 cents per dollar spent on Medicaid patients in 2022, pushing them to lean harder on private payers like you. Meanwhile, 33% of adults in New Hampshire skipped care due to cost that year, signaling a broader access crisis.

Why This Matters to Your Business

This healthcare chaos is a direct hit to your operations:

• Rising Premiums: Insurer losses and hospital cost-shifting mean higher costs for you, eating into your budget.
• Employee Impact: Limited access to care and staffing shortages can leave your team less healthy and less productive.
• Uncertainty: With insurers like struggling, planning for future healthcare expenses becomes a guessing game.

The traditional insurance model—tied to these regional challenges—is failing employers. It’s time for a better way.

NARFA’s Solution: Rates Based on Our Experience, Not the Community

NARFA offers a game-changing alternative to traditional health insurance. Unlike plans that use community rating—where premiums reflect the average costs of a broad regional group—many of NARFA’s rates are based on our own experience. Your premiums are tied to the actual claims and healthcare use of NARFA members, not the wider community’s struggles.

Why This Approach Wins

• Potentially Lower Costs: By focusing on our group’s health trends, we sidestep the inflated expenses of the broader market—like Point32Health’s losses or rising drug costs. This can mean lower premiums for you.
• Customized Coverage: NARFA designs plans to fit our members’ needs, with flexible deductibles, copays, and benefits. Think lower costs for preventive care or better coverage for specialty drugs—options tailored to your team.

In a state where workforce shortages, soaring drug prices, and hospital losses are the norm, NARFA’s approach delivers stability and savings. Our rates aren’t dragged down by regional chaos—they’re built on our data, for our members.

Why Choose NARFA in New Hampshire’s Healthcare Storm?

NARFA stands out because we’re not tethered to the instability of traditional insurers. Here’s what sets us apart:

• Insulated from Market Turmoil: Our rates reflect your group’s experience, not the broader market’s woes.
• Built for Businesses Like Yours: With over 90 years serving the automotive, roads, and fuel industries, we know your needs.
• Flexibility and Value: From small businesses to those with 51+ employees (where options like Level Funding are available), we’ve got you covered.

Take Charge of Your Healthcare Future with NARFA

You don’t have to ride out New Hampshire’s healthcare crisis with no control. NARFA’s experience-based solutions offer a smarter, more affordable way forward. Ready to see the difference?

Contact us today at 800-258-5318 or visit our website to get a personalized quote. We’ll show you how much you can save. Let NARFA steer your business toward stability and savings.