Bill Text: NH SB108 | 2023 | Regular Session | Enrolled
Bill Title: Relative to participation of the New Hampshire public defender program in the state employee health insurance plan.
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Passed) 2023-06-02 - Signed by the Governor on 06/01/2023; Chapter 0062; Effective 06/01/2023 [SB108 Detail]
Download: New_Hampshire-2023-SB108-Enrolled.html
SB 108-FN - VERSION ADOPTED BY BOTH BODIES
02/22/2023 0568s
2023 SESSION
23-0856
05/04
SENATE BILL 108-FN
SPONSORS: Sen. Carson, Dist 14; Sen. Whitley, Dist 15
COMMITTEE: Executive Departments and Administration
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ANALYSIS
This bill authorizes the New Hampshire public defender program to participate in the state employee health insurance program.
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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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
02/22/2023 0568s 23-0856
05/04
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty Three
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 New Subdivision; Public Defender Program; Participation in State Employee Health Insurance Plan. Amend RSA 604-B by inserting after section 8 the following new subdivision:
Participation in State Employee Health Insurance Plan
604-B:9 Participation in State Employee Health Insurance Plan. Employees of the New Hampshire public defender program shall be entitled to participate in the state of New Hampshire employee health insurance plan. The public defender program shall reimburse the state for the cost of all insurance premiums for all participating employees. The public defender program shall pay the same premium rates as those set for the majority of participating state employees. The public defender shall be permitted to opt into or out of the state health insurance plan in accordance with the state's applicable open enrollment cycles, except that if the public defender program opts into the state health insurance plan, it shall be for a minimum of 2 years.
2 Effective Date. This act shall take effect upon its passage.
23-0856
Amended 1/23/23
SB 108-FN- FISCAL NOTE
AS AMENDED BY THE SENATE (AMENDMENT #2023-0568s)
FISCAL IMPACT: [ X ] State [ ] County [ ] Local [ ] None
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| Estimated Increase / (Decrease) | |||
STATE: | FY 2023 | FY 2024 | FY 2025 | FY 2026 |
Appropriation | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Revenue | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Expenditures | $0 | Indeterminable | Indeterminable | Indeterminable |
Funding Source: | [ X ] General [ ] Education [ ] Highway [ ] Other | |||
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METHODOLOGY:
This bill entitles employees of the New Hampshire Public Defender (NHPD) program to participate in the State of New Hampshire's employee health insurance plan. NHPD is permitted to opt in or out of the state health insurance plan, and must reimburse the State for the cost of all insurance premiums for all participating employees.
The Judicial Council states NHPD is a state-funded, private non-profit corporation with 245 employees eligible for health insurance coverage under their health care plan with 201 full time employees actually participating in their health insurance plan. The Judicial Council indicates the fiscal impact is indeterminable as they are unable to calculate specific costs to include all interested NHPD employees as the standard cost, according to information available by the Department of Administrative Services, for insuring a full-time employee under the State insurance plan varies dependent upon the type of plan (HMO, POS, Dental) as the number of persons covered (one person, two person, family).
The Department of Administrative Services (DAS) states they are not able to project the cost of adding the NHPD program to the State of NH employee Health Benefit Plan (HBP) as it is not possible to project the amount and severity of the health care services the NHPD members and their families will consume in the short and long term. The HBP is a self-funded plan where the State pays the cost of all healthcare claims for medical, pharmacy and dental services in addition to the administrative fees associated with managing the HBP including paying third party administrators a per member per month fee.
DAS works with its health consultant and actuary to determine the monthly cost of healthcare per plan (HMO or POS) and plan tier (individual, 2-person, or family) coverage. Prior utilization, enrollment, inflation, and healthcare trends are used to project HBP costs. DAS works to contain healthcare costs through various strategies in order to maintain high quality benefits to its HBP membership. As more members are added to the HBP, the enrollment increases as do projections for utilization and administrative burden on DAS resources and information systems. Adding groups, like the NHPD program, to the HBP puts additional strain on those DAS resources and DAS cost containment efforts.
It is assumed any fiscal impact from this bill will not occur until after FY 2023.
AGENCIES CONTACTED:
Judicial Council and Department of Administrative Services
