Seana Hallberg came from Dover to speak about her son.

At 19 years old, he attends Landmark College in Vermont. His neurodevelopmental and health conditions have led his family to seek specialized care and education tailored to his needs. Medicaid has made this possible.

“Medicaid is essential for him,” Hallberg told the crowd of around 100 people at a Hands Off Medicaid rally outside the State House on Thursday afternoon. “It’s what allows us as a family to direct our limited financial resources towards his education, towards his future instead of being buried by medical bills. I had to leave the workforce because I needed to advocate for my kids full-time, but his future right now is being threatened. If New Hampshire’s proposed budget cuts to Medicaid go forward, this impact will be devastating, not just for my family, but for tens of thousands of others across the Granite State.”

Hallberg and others came to protest proposed reductions in the state budget to Medicaid, which provides health insurance to some lower-income individuals and families, as well as those with disabilities. Over the past month, the “Hands Off” movement has garnered national momentum from those critical of the Trump administration’s policies, including cuts to federal programs that help the poor.

Two weeks ago, the New Hampshire House passed a budget that included a 3% cut in Medicaid rates for providers, meaning individuals would have to shoulder more of the cost. Gov. Kelly Ayotte’s proposed budget also cut down funding for Medicaid while increasing premiums and out-of-pocket pharmacy costs.

“It’s like slow genocide, and it’s class warfare,” Hallberg said. “I mean, really, what this is, it’s classism. The most marginalized individuals are going to be the ones that are harmed the most, and people are going to slowly and painfully die by not having the medical care and support themselves that they need.”

Concord resident Jim Piet expressed concern over how the state would meet people’s needs with reduced Medicaid funding if the legislature and the Governor pass the cuts.

“If they do, the state doesn’t have enough funds for everyone to receive home care,” Piet said.

His wife, Pat Vincent-Piet, shared similar sentiments with the crowd at the rally.

“We depend on Medicaid to access our community,” Vincent-Piet said. “Jim relies on Medicaid to get up in the morning, to be part of life.”

Kit Hansen, who lives in Goffstown, spent her career working in the mental health field. This is, in part, what motivated her to come to the rally, since Medicaid cuts would directly impact mental health services.

“They’re getting slammed in all directions by cuts in Medicaid at the federal level and at the state level, and it’s gonna hurt. If the providers aren’t there, people won’t be able to get the services. Ayotte suggested the rough cuts, but the House wants even deeper.”

Beyond mental health, Hansen’s grandson receives Medicaid.

“It has been a lifesaver for him, and if he leaves this Medicaid, that would be a big hardship,” she said.

Thomas Jimino of Tuftonboro said that while he understands the state’s need to cut money, he does not want to see any Medicaid reductions go through.

“This is a state budget, but it’s influenced by the federal budget,” Jimino said. “That’s why they got to do this. Because they got cuts. I get that. Cut somewhere else. I understand the predicament. Just do it somewhere else.”

Hallberg sees a grim picture ahead if the Medicaid cuts go through and national rhetoric around people with disabilities continues to paint them in a negative light – notably recent comments from U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

“I think people will die,” she said. “I think people with higher support needs, especially in the autism community, will not be getting the home-based care that they deserve. I think people with severe medical needs will not have their direct support providers coming into their home. I think that the emergency room will just be inundated.”

Rachel Wachman can be reached at rwachman@cmonitor.com