New Hampshire Executive Councilors John Stephen and Joe Kenney will host a roundtable on Rural Health Initiatives on Wednesday, October 15, 2025, from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. at The Governor’s Inn, 78 Wakefield Street, Rochester, NH.
The discussion will focus on rural health initiatives and explore opportunities under the recently enacted One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBB), which allocates $50 billion for the Rural Health Transformation Program. Participants will discuss strategies to improve access to healthcare, leverage emerging technologies such as AI for prevention and chronic disease management, foster partnerships among rural hospitals and providers, and address challenges, including hospital closures and clinician recruitment.
This event aims to help stakeholders understand how New Hampshire can develop and submit a state transformation plan to secure federal funding before the December 31, 2025, deadline.
WHO:
- Executive Councilor Joe Kenney — representing the North Country, with a focus on rural community needs.
- Executive Councilor John Stephen — representing the greater Manchester area and former New Hampshire Health & Human Services Commissioner, with decades of experience consulting on HHS projects across a dozen states.
- Additional participants will include local healthcare providers, state officials, and community leaders.
WHY:
With the OBBB providing $10 billion annually from 2026–2030 for states with approved rural health plans, this roundtable offers a timely platform to discuss actionable steps for enhancing rural healthcare access, quality, and sustainability in New Hampshire. Attendees will gain insight into federal requirements, potential funding allocations based on rural population metrics, and innovative models such as telehealth, value-based care, and technology-driven solutions.
RSVP:
To attend, please RSVP to John Gagner at jgagner@straffordcap.org or Chris Maidment at info@johnstephennh.com.