New Hampshire’s Executive Council voted to table $773 million in contracts for a new rural health initiative, citing concerns about oversight and competitive bidding. The Governor’s Office of New Opportunities & Rural Transformational Health (GO-NORTH) had proposed allowing five designated hubs to manage grant distributions, but council members expressed reservations about the process bypassing council approval for sole-source contracts.
Executive Councilor Karen Liot Hill stated, “I cannot in good conscience approve the contracts as presented,” noting that “Giving out $760 million in sole-source contracts does not pass the smell test.” She called for modifications to increase transparency and preserve the council’s role in grant decisions. Governor Kelly Ayotte defended the structure, explaining, “It has to be practical. One of the reasons we have structured it with five hubs is because we have to move quickly.”
Program Structure and Oversight
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services approved having the initiative run through five hubs: the University of New Hampshire in Durham, the Community College System of New Hampshire, the Foundation for Healthy Communities, the Community Development Finance Authority, and the NH Community Behavioral Health Association. One contract worth $132 million for the behavioral health program was added to the agenda late.
GO-NORTH Executive Director Donnalee Lozeau announced that the program’s website went live and will display every approved contract in real time. Governor Ayotte said she will call a special council meeting for March 16 to keep the program on schedule, noting that the state will retain authority to alter or override grant award decisions. She added that some staff managing the program previously worked distributing $2 billion in federal aid during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.
This article is an AI-assisted summary. All facts and figures are drawn from the original report: https://www.unionleader.com/news/politics/state/773-million-for-nh-rural-health-care-contracts-tabled/article_4347fc92-bb7b-4a1a-96d0-718657f66d64.html