CONCORD, N.H. -- Health care spending has increased faster and reached higher levels in New Hampshire than in most other states, but hospitals, insurers and others have been trying to tackle the problem long before the Affordable Care Act. The New Hampshire Citizens Health Initiative, which promotes affordable, effective and accessible health care, has overseen several of the largest efforts, including a medical home pilot project in 2011 and an accountable care organization model. New Hampshire also was one of the first states to create a database to collect and aggregate claims from all commercial and government insurers, providing detailed information that informs cost containment efforts, said Jeanne Ryer, the initiative's executive director.
