Bill Text: NH HB685 | 2020 | Regular Session | Amended

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Bill Title: Relative to insurance plans that cover maternity benefits.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Vetoed) 2020-09-17 - Veto Sustained 09/16/2020: Regular Calendar 195-139 Lacking Necessary Two-Thirds Vote [HB685 Detail]

Download: New_Hampshire-2020-HB685-Amended.html

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HB 685-FN - AS AMENDED BY THE SENATE

 

8Jan2020... 2779h

06/16/2020   1468s

 

2019 SESSION

19-0531

01/05

 

HOUSE BILL 685-FN

 

AN ACT establishing a committee to study reimbursement for ambulance services by insurance carriers in New Hampshire.

 

SPONSORS: Rep. Luneau, Merr. 10; Rep. Morrison, Rock. 9

 

COMMITTEE: Commerce and Consumer Affairs

 

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AMENDED ANALYSIS

 

This bill requires insurance plans which cover maternity benefits to provide coverage for emergency or elective abortion services.

 

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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.

Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]

Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

8Jan2020... 2779h

06/16/2020   1468s 19-0531

01/05

 

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

 

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Nineteen

 

AN ACT establishing a committee to study reimbursement for ambulance services by insurance carriers in New Hampshire.

 

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

 

1  Name of Act.  This act shall be known as the Reproductive Health Parity Act of 2020.

2  New Section; Insurance Plans That Cover Maternity Benefits.  Amend RSA 417-D by inserting after section 2-b the following new section:

417-D:2-c  Insurance Plans That Cover Maternity Benefits.  Every insurer subject to this chapter that provides individual or group coverage for maternity services shall provide coverage for emergency or elective abortion services for persons who are residents of this state.  A health plan that provides coverage in accordance with this section may contain provisons for maximum benefits and coinsurance and reasonable limitations, deductibles, and exclusions.  All contracts under this section shall be deemed to be renewed no later than the next yearly anniversary of the contract date.

II.  If the commissioner determines that enforcement of any policy described under paragraph I may adversely affect the allocation of federal funds to New Hampshire, the commissioner may grant an exemption to the requirements of this section only to the minimum extent necessary to ensure the continued receipt of federal funds.

3  Effective Date.  This act shall take effect January 1, 2021.

 

LBAO

19-0531

1/16/19

 

HB 685-FN- FISCAL NOTE

AS INTRODUCED

 

AN ACT relative to ambulance billing, payment for reasonable value of services, and prohibition on balance billing.

 

FISCAL IMPACT:      [ X ] State              [    ] County               [ X ] Local              [    ] None

	Estimated Increase / (Decrease)
STATE:	FY 2020	FY 2021	FY 2022	FY 2023
Appropriation	$0	$0	$0	$0
Revenue	Indeterminable	Indeterminable	Indeterminable	Indeterminable
Expenditures	Indeterminable	Indeterminable	Indeterminable	Indeterminable
Funding Source:	[ X ] General            [    ] Education            [    ] Highway           [    ] Other
LOCAL:
Revenue	Indeterminable	Indeterminable	Indeterminable	Indeterminable
Expenditures	Indeterminable	Indeterminable	Indeterminable	Indeterminable

 

METHODOLOGY:

This bill clarifies ambulance billing under the law governing emergency and medical trauma services.  The Insurance Department indicates this bill prohibits balance billing for ambulance services.  The bill limits reimbursement for ambulance services to a commercially reasonable value.  Ambulance providers and insurers are to make best efforts to resolve disputes regarding reimbursement rates before petitioning the Insurance Commissioner to determine whether the rate is commercially reasonable.  The Department states limiting rates to "commercially reasonable" may impact claim costs, which may impact insurance premiums and premium tax revenue.  The bill may also impact municipal revenues as the bill also applies to public safety agencies.  The Department is not able to estimate the potential number of conflicts it may have to resolve to ascertain whether it could handle the administrative responsibilities with existing resources.  

 

The Department of Health and Human Services indicates the potential fiscal impact to the Department of the legislation's prohibition for balance billing and requirement for commercially reasonable fees for ambulance services is indeterminable at this time.

 

The Department of Safety indicates this bill may impact local revenue for communities with a public ambulance service.

 

AGENCIES CONTACTED:

Departments of Insurance, Safety and Health and Human Services