Covering the Care: Health Insurance Coverage in New Hampshire | 2026 Update

Deborah Fournier J.D, The Institute for Health Policy and Practice
Erica-Lyn Plante, M.S, The Institute for Health Policy and Practice

Abstract

Health insurance is meant to financially protect enrollees should they need healthcare services following illness or injury. However, the affordability of maintaining insurance coverage continues to grow as a concern in the US and in New Hampshire. In fact, increasingly individuals avoid necessary health care services due to unexpected or high costs among both the insured and uninsured. In 2025, nationally more than 1 in 3 adults (36%) either delayed or did not seek healthcare due to costs and nearly half (44%) said it was difficult to afford healthcare costs [1].