2007 Spring, Pg. 73. KEEPING CHILDREN HEALTHY: The HNH foundation Promotes Health Coverage and Healthy Lifestyles.

• Author: By Sandi Van Scoyoc

New Hampshire Bar Journal

2007.

2007 Spring, Pg. 73.

KEEPING CHILDREN HEALTHY: The HNH foundation Promotes Health Coverage and Healthy Lifestyles

New Hampshire Bar JournalSpring 2007, Volume 48, No. 1Health Care & the LawKEEPING CHILDREN HEALTHY: The HNH foundation Promotes Health Coverage and Healthy LifestylesBy Sandi Van ScoyocI. Introduction

The HNHfoundation, celebrating its 10th Anniversary in 2007, has set a broad and ambitious agenda for addressing the health and well being of New Hampshire's children in the coming years. While enjoying recent public attention for launching the Childhood Obesity Project - and funding enhanced activity and nutritional education at 28 New Hampshire elementary schools - the HNHfoundation has been a fairly quiet organization during its first decade. Quiet does not mean ineffectual, however, as the Foundation has been instrumental in bringing health coverage to children throughout New Hampshire.

The Beginning . . .

The HNHfoundation was formed as the result of the merger of Matthew Thornton Health Plan with Blue Cross/Blue Shield of New Hampshire. Incorporated in October of 1997, with assets of $11.8 million, the primary mission at inception was to promote access to health insurance for the citizens of New Hampshire, a goal that quickly became focused on children with the passage of federal legislation creating the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP).

2. The SCHIP opportunity

   The purpose of this federal funding was to provide a means for states to initiate and expand health coverage for uninsured children. Participating states had the opportunity to claim an enhanced federal reimbursement match rate of 65 percent. States were required to fund the remaining 35 percent.

   HNHfoundation directors recognized the program as an opportunity to accelerate the impact of the Healthy Kids Program - already enrolling uninsured children throughout the state - and help fulfill the Foundation's primary purpose.

   But matching funds were required before New Hampshire could receive federal monies, and the state looked to the HNHfoundation to get the program underway. There was much debate about this request at the time. Would the state assume there would be a steady and dependable stream of funding from the Foundation in the future? Would the new Foundation be seen by the stakeholder...