Bringing together diverse voices for more affordable and equitable healthcare

WE SEEK TO BUILD PUBLIC CONSENSUS AROUND KEY IDEAS FOR LOWER COSTS AND LASTING CHANGE

The New Hampshire Health Cost Initiative (NHHCI) is mobilizing Granite Staters to address the state's rising healthcare costs and improve access to care. With support from the Endowment for Health, we are connecting leaders and ideas and developing resources to provide Granite Staters with knowledge and tools to advocate for practical solutions that lower health costs.

By lifting up the voices of those directly affected by rising healthcare costs and sharing accurate information and new perspectives, we aim to drive meaningful change that benefits patients and families, strengthens our communities, supports our businesses, and improves health outcomes for everyone in New Hampshire. Through trust, transparency, and accountable collaboration, we are engaging stakeholders from across the healthcare system to ensure that all Granite Staters have access to affordable, equitable, and high-quality healthcare.

BOARD OF CONTRIBUTORS

  • Professor of Law and Director, Health Law and Science programs - UNH Franklin Pierce School of Law

    Lucy Hodder, JD is a professor of law at UNH Franklin Pierce School of Law and a respected figure in health law, insurance markets, and delivery system dynamics in New England. She founded the Health Law and Policy progams at the University of New Hampshire and currently directs the Health Law and Life Sciences program at the law school. She has practiced in health law for over 30 years, both as a shareholder at Rath, Young & Pignatelli, PC, in employment and corporate health law, and in the public sector as an Assistant Attorney General and legal counsel to Governor Maggie Hassan. Lucy’s research with the UNH Institute for Health Policy and Practice focuses on strategic support for healthcare systems reform, coverage and payment strategies, Medicaid policy and medical records privacy.

  • Michael Cohen, MA, CAGS

    Michael Cohen is principal consultant at MJC Health Solutions, LLC. Previous work included serving as an Executive Director of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, NH. His work has led to an understanding of how to meaningfully engage consumers in health policy making and advocacy. Working collaboratively and including all voices-stakeholders-has been an effective strategy for finding solutions to problems and building mutual understanding and trust in the healthcare delivery system. He served as a staff consultant to the Health and Aging Services Group and the Psychiatric Research Center, Geisel School of Medicine, Dartmouth College, developing and implementing health services research designed to improve health outcomes.

  • Director of Health Law and Policy – Institute for Health Policy and Practice, University of New Hampshire

    Deborah H. Fournier, JD has twenty years of health policy experience, including posts at national organizations such as the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) and the National Academy for State Health Policy (NASHP).  Ms. Fournier has also served in two state Medicaid programs, culminating in her serving as NH’s Medicaid Director.  Ms. Fournier’s career has encompassed health policy related to public health crises, healthcare financing, payment reform, health insurance coverage programs, social drivers of health, and innovative Medicaid policies.  She is currently focused on healthcare affordability and emerging pathways for sustainably financing healthcare services and public health services.

  • Chief Strategy Officer - New Hampshire Center for Justice & Equity

    Josephine (Jo) Porter, MPH, is the Chief Strategy Officer at the New Hampshire Center for Justice and Equity. She has over 20 years of experience in public health, program development, grant management, and leadership. She spent 15 years with the Institute for Health Policy and Practice at the University of New Hampshire, serving as the Director for over seven years. Jo has held appointments at the state and federal levels on a variety of committees. Jo’s areas of interest include health data collection, dissemination, and using data to effectively inform effective decision and policy making. Her private sector experience includes program management with Health Dialog, Inc., a care management firm.

PROJECT COORDINATION

  • Project Director, NH Health Cost Initiative

    Jennifer Frizzell, JD is an attorney with a diverse background in public policy, advocacy communications, issue campaigns and social impact. She has more than 25 years’ experience providing policy and strategy counsel with non-profit and advocacy organizations, focusing on access to health care, women’s health, and reproductive and maternity care. As a leader with Planned Parenthood and the NH Women’s Foundation, Jennifer led significant policy and advocacy campaigns to expand access to care, including implementation of the Affordable Care Act and related Medicaid initiatives and expansion of insurance coverage for contraception and fertility care. Her work values and elevates community engagement and grassroots organizing as priority strategies for building relationships, building capacity and building power for lasting policy change.

    Jennifer brings her extensive background, as both a health policy leader and an organizer for systems-change, to her role as Project Director at NHHCI.