Who We Are
The Endowment for Health is a nonprofit, private foundation that came into existence in October 1999 as a result of the sale of Blue Cross Blue Shield New Hampshire to Anthem Insurance Companies, Inc.

Why We Exist
The Endowment for Health reflects a national trend beginning in the mid 1980s when nonprofit health care organizations (hospitals, for example) or nonprofit health financing organizations (HMOs or private insurers, for example) were acquired by for-profit entities. In the United States, during the last decade, approximately 150 such transactions have occurred.

This type of acquisition (a nonprofit organization being bought by a for-profit entity) raises a crucial question: who owns the assets of the nonprofit organization, and to whom should the proceeds of the sale be given? After all, there are no stockholders who own the assets and expect to benefit from the sale.

The legal and perhaps ethical answer to this question is: the “people” own at least some portion of the assets of a nonprofit organization, because said assets were accumulated by virtue of the tax-exempt status conveyed through legislative action. As a consequence of these principles, states have taken it upon themselves to establish foundations whose assets were created by the proceeds of selling nonprofit organizations to for-profit organizations. The general mission and purpose of these new foundations is to use the assets for the public good.

Our mission, to improve the health of, and reduce the burden of illness on, the people of New Hampshire, reflects the historic mission of Blue Cross Blue Shield New Hampshire, whose assets, since the time of the sale to Anthem Insurance Companies, Inc., have been controlled by the Endowment for Health.

Who Is Responsible
The ultimate responsibility and accountability for the Endowment for Health rests in a self perpetuating Board of Directors.

Who Does the Work
A full-time staff conducts the day-to-day operations of the Endowment for Health.

The president is Dr. James Squires, who was born in New London, New Hampshire and is one of the founders of the Matthew Thornton Health Plan. Dr. Squires was a practicing general and vascular surgeon for twenty-five years in Nashua, and from 1996 to 2000, he served in the New Hampshire Senate representing District 12. In 2000, Dr. Squires sought the Republican Gubernatorial nomination.

In January 2001, Dr. Squires became the first president of the Endowment for Health, and is currently the media contact for the organization. You can reach him at jwsquires@endowmentforhealth.org.

Details:
Directions to our offices
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Legal & financial details
Annual Reports
Financial Reports