HB 711-FN – AS INTRODUCED
2007 SESSION
01/05
HOUSE BILL 711-FN
AN ACT requiring insurance coverage for the cost of hormone treatment drugs for transsexuals.
SPONSORS: Rep. Ginsburg, Hills 20; Rep. French, Merr 5
This bill requires insurance coverage for the cost of hormone treatment drugs for transsexuals.
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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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
07-0737
01/05
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Seven
AN ACT requiring insurance coverage for the cost of hormone treatment drugs for transsexuals.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 New Section; Coverage for the Cost of Hormone Treatment Drugs for Transsexuals. Amend RSA 415 by inserting after section 6-m the following new section:
415:6-n Coverage for the Cost of Hormone Treatment Drugs for Transsexuals. Each insurer that issues or renews any individual policy, plan, or contract of accident or health insurance providing benefits for medical or hospital expenses, shall provide to certificate holders of such insurance, who are residents of this state, coverage for the cost of hormone treatment drugs regardless of the diagnosis, if any, for which they are prescribed including, without limitation, for transsexual persons. The benefits included in this section shall not be subject to any greater deductible than any other benefits provided by the insurer. The coinsurance required by the enrolled participant shall not exceed the amount allowed under the contract for the reasonable and customary charge for the service provided. Notwithstanding any provision of law or rule to the contrary, the coverage under this section shall apply to the medical assistance program, pursuant to RSA 161 and RSA 167.
2 New Section; Coverage for The Cost of Hormone Treatment Drugs for Transsexuals. Amend RSA 415 by inserting after section 18-r the following new section:
415:18-s Coverage for the Cost of Hormone Treatment Drugs for Transsexuals. Each insurer that issues or renews any policy of group or blanket accident or health insurance providing benefits for medical or hospital expenses, shall provide to each group, or to the portion of each group comprised of certificate holders of such insurance who are residents of this state, coverage for the cost of hormone treatment drugs regardless of the diagnosis, if any, for which they are prescribed including, without limitation, for transsexual persons. The benefits included in this section shall not be subject to any greater deductible than any other benefits provided by the insurer. The coinsurance required by the enrolled participant shall not exceed the amount allowed under the contract for the reasonable and customary charge for the service provided. Notwithstanding any provision of law or rule to the contrary, the coverage under this section shall apply to the medical assistance program, pursuant to RSA 161 and RSA 167.
3 Coverage for the Cost of Hormone Treatment Drugs for Transsexuals. 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-g, RSA 415:6-k, RSA 415:6-m, RSA 415:6-n, RSA 415:18, V, RSA 415:18, VII(g), RSA 415:18, VII-a, RSA 415:18-a, RSA 415:18-j, RSA 415:18-o, RSA 415:18-r, RSA 415:18-s, 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 Coverage for the Cost of Hormone Treatment Drugs for Transsexuals. Amend RSA 420-B:20, III to read as follows:
III. The requirements of RSA 400-A:39, RSA 401-B, RSA 402-C, RSA 404-F, RSA 415:6-g, RSA 415:6-m, RSA 415:6-n, RSA 415:18, VII(g), RSA 415:18, VII-a, RSA 415:18-j, RSA 415:18-r, RSA 415:18-s, RSA 415-A, RSA 415-F, RSA 420-G, and RSA 420-J shall apply to health maintenance organizations.
5 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.
LBAO
07-0737
1/12/07
HB 711-FN - FISCAL NOTE
AN ACT requiring insurance coverage for the cost of hormone treatment drugs for transsexuals.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The Department of Insurance states this bill may have an indeterminable fiscal impact on state general fund revenue and may increase state, county, and local expenditures by an indeterminable amount in fiscal year 2007 and each fiscal year thereafter. There will be no fiscal impact on county and local revenue.
METHODOLOGY:
The Department of Insurance states this bill requires health insurance providers to cover the cost of hormone treatment drugs for transsexual insureds. The Department indicates that the state is self insured, but often complies with mandates imposed on fully insured plans and assumes the state would comply with this mandate. The Department states to the extent that coverage is not currently provided, health insurance providers may need to increase premiums to cover these new mandates, which may affect the cost of insurance for county and local government. The pricing differential between fully insured products and self insured products would increase and as a result some employers may choose to self fund. The state may realize an increase in premium tax revenues to the extent that premiums increase. However, this could potentially be offset by the loss in revenue attributable to employer groups switching from fully insured plans to self-funded plans. The Department cannot estimate the net premium increase or loss and therefore can not determine the fiscal impact of this bill. This bill does not make an appropriation.
The Department of Administrative Services states the mandate proposed by this bill will have no fiscal impact on the state’s employee and retiree health benefits program.