Bill Text - HB31 (2009)

Requiring insurance coverage for certain preventative testing.


Revision: Jan. 12, 2009, midnight

HB 31-FN – AS INTRODUCED

2009 SESSION

09-0002

01/09

HOUSE BILL 31-FN

AN ACT requiring insurance coverage for certain preventive testing.

SPONSORS: Rep. Skinder, Sull 1; Rep. Houde-Quimby, Sull 1; Sen. Houde, Dist 5

COMMITTEE: Commerce

ANALYSIS

This bill requires insurance coverage for pap tests.

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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

09-0002

01/09

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Nine

AN ACT requiring insurance coverage for certain preventive testing.

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

1 New Section; Coverage for Pap Tests; Individual. Amend RSA 415 by inserting after section 6-o the following new section:

415:6-p Coverage for Pap Tests; Individual. 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 pap tests. Benefits provided shall not be subject to any greater co-payment, deductible, or coinsurance than any other similar benefits provided by the insurer.

2 New Section; Coverage for Pap Tests; Group. Amend RSA 415 by inserting after section 18-t the following new section:

415:18-u Coverage for Pap Tests; Group. 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 pap tests. Benefits provided shall not be subject to any greater co-payment, deductible, or coinsurance than any other similar benefits provided by the insurer.

3 Coverage for Pap Tests; Hospital Service Corporations. 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-o, 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 415:18-t, RSA 415:18-u, 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 Pap Tests; Health Maintenance Organizations. 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-o, RSA 415:18, VII-a, RSA 415:18, XVI and XVII, RSA 415:18-j, RSA 415:18-r, RSA 415:18-t, RSA 415:18-u, 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

09-0002

Revised 01/06/09

HB 31 FISCAL NOTE

AN ACT requiring insurance coverage for certain preventive testing.

FISCAL IMPACT:

      The Insurance Department states this bill may increase state revenue, county expenditures, and local expenditures by an indeterminable amount in FY 2009 and each year thereafter. The New Hampshire Association of Counties states this bill may increase county expenditures by an indeterminable amount in FY 2009 and each year thereafter. The New Hampshire Municipal Association states this bill may increase local expenditures by an indeterminable amount in FY 2009 and each year thereafter. There will be no fiscal impact on state expenditures or county and local revenue.

METHODOLOGY:

    The Insurance Department states this bill mandates coverage of pap tests. The state is not subject to this mandate because it is self-insured. The Department assumes most, if not all, plans provide coverage for medically necessary pap tests; therefore expects the bill will have little to no fiscal impact. The Department states to the extent health insurance premiums increase as a result of this bill, premium tax revenue will increase.

    The Department of Administrative Services states this bill will have no fiscal impact because the state is self-insured. The Department reports the state provides coverage for pap tests and other preventative services under its current employee and retiree benefit program.

    The New Hampshire Association of Counties states to the extent a county has an insurance provider which does not currently cover pap tests, county expenditures may increase based on increased premium costs.

    The New Hampshire Municipal Association states this bill does not apply to pooled risk organizations; therefore it would not have a fiscal impact on those municipalities participating in a pooled risk organization. The Association states there may be an increase in insurance cost for those municipalities that do not already include pap test coverage.