HB 1530 – AS INTRODUCED
2008 SESSION
01/10
HOUSE BILL 1530
AN ACT relative to access to mental health practitioners.
SPONSORS: Rep. Powers, Rock 16
This bill requires insurers offering health insurance plans to allow covered persons to select their own mental health practitioner as long as the practitioner is licensed in the state of New Hampshire.
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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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
08-2182
01/10
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Eight
AN ACT relative to access to mental health practitioners.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 New Section; Access to Mental Health Practitioners. Amend RSA 415 by inserting after section 6-b the following new section:
415:6-bb Access to Mental Health Practitioners. An insurer issuing accident and health policies providing coverage for mental health conditions shall not exclude from its network or list of authorized providers any licensed mental health or substance abuse treatment provider located within the geographic coverage area of the health benefit plan if the provider is willing to meet the terms and conditions for participation established by the heath insurer.
2 New Paragraph; Access to Mental Health Practitioners. Amend RSA 415:18-a by inserting after paragraph VII the following new paragraph:
VIII. A group policy or certificate issued and subject to this section shall not exclude from its network or list of authorized providers any licensed mental health or substance abuse treatment provider located within the geographic coverage area of the health benefit plan if the provider is willing to meet the terms and conditions for participation established by the heath insurer.
3 Health Services Corporations; Access to Mental Health Practitioners. Amend RSA 420-A:2 to read as follows:
420-A:2 Applicable Statutes. Every health service corporation shall be governed by this chapter and the relevant provisions of RSA 161-H, and shall be exempt from this title except for the provisions of RSA 400-A:39, RSA 401-B, RSA 402-C, RSA 404-F, RSA 415-A, RSA 415-F, RSA 415:6, II(4), RSA 415:6-bb, RSA 415:6-g, RSA 415:6-k, RSA 415:6-m, RSA 415:18, V, RSA 415:18, VII-a, RSA 415:18, XVI and XVII, RSA 415:18-a, RSA 415:18-j, RSA 415:18-o, RSA 415:18-r, RSA 415:22, RSA 417, RSA 417-E, RSA 420-J, and all applicable provisions of title XXXVII wherein such corporations are specifically included. Every health service corporation and its agents shall be subject to the fees prescribed for health service corporations under RSA 400-A:29, VII.
4 New Paragraph; Health Maintenance Organizations; Access to Mental Health Practitioners. Amend RSA 420-B:8-b by inserting after paragraph IV the following new paragraph:
V. No evidence of coverage, or amendment thereto, issued, renewed or continued which is subject to this section shall exclude from its network or list of authorized providers any licensed mental health or substance abuse treatment provider located within the geographic coverage area of the health benefit plan if the provider is willing to meet the terms and conditions for participation established by the heath insurer.
5 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.