2 hospitals, several medical offices to refuse Medicaid

Two New Hampshire hospitals and several medical offices will stop treating patients on Medicaid in the upcoming weeks, LRG Healthcare officials said.LRG Healthcare, which operates Lakes Regional General Hospital and Franklin Regional Hospital, announced that its facilities would no longer accept new or existing patients on Medicaid by mid-November. Company officials said financial challenges prompted the decision that will affect more than 3,000 patients. Letters citing unprecedented financial challenges and announcing the decision were sent to patients. "We are saddened to have to take this action but, regrettably, have no choice," the company's president and CEO wrote in a statement. The governor's office accused the health care provider of turning its back on its nonprofit mission.