SB 451-FN - AS INTRODUCED
2016 SESSION
\t16-2706
\t01/10
SENATE BILL\t451-FN
AN ACT\trelative to insurance coverage for massage therapy.
SPONSORS:\tSen. Cataldo, Dist 6
COMMITTEE:\tCommerce
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ANALYSIS
\tThis bill provides for insurance coverage for massage therapy.
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Explanation:\tMatter added to current law appears in bold italics.
\t\tMatter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]
\t\tMatter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
\t16-2706
\t01/10
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Sixteen
AN ACT\trelative to insurance coverage for massage therapy.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
\t1 New Section; Accident and Health Insurance; Individual; Coverage for Massage Therapy. Amend RSA 415 by inserting after section 6-t the following new section:
\t415:6-u Coverage for Massage Therapy. 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 services of licensed massage therapists. Benefits provided shall not be subject to any greater copayment, deductible, or coinsurance than any other similar benefits provided by the insurer.
\t2 New Section; Accident and Health Insurance; Group; Coverage for Massage Therapy. Amend RSA 415 by inserting after section 18-y the following new section:
\t415:18-z Coverage for Massage Therapy. 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 certificate holders of such insurance, who are residents of this state, coverage for the services of licensed massage therapists. Benefits provided shall not be subject to any greater copayment, deductible, or coinsurance than any other similar benefits provided by the insurer.
\t3 Health Services Corporations; Coverage for Massage Therapy; Effective January 1, 2017. Amend RSA 420-A:2 to read as follows:
\t420-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 415:6-r, RSA 415:6-s, RSA 415:6-t, RSA 415:6-u, RSA 415:18, V, RSA 415:18, XVI and XVII, RSA 415:18, VII-a, 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 415:18-v, RSA 415:18-w, RSA 415:18-x, RSA 415:18-y, RSA 415:18-z, 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.
\t4 Health Services Corporations; Coverage for Massage Therapy; Effective October 1, 2017. RSA 420-A:2 is repealed and reenacted to read as follows:
\t420-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 415:6-r, RSA 415:6-t, RSA 415:6-u, RSA 415:18, V, RSA 415:18, XVI and XVII, RSA 415:18, VII-a, 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 415:18-v, RSA 415:18-w, RSA 415:18-y, RSA 415:18-z, 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.
\t5 Health Services Corporations; Coverage for Massage Therapy; Effective January 1, 2021. RSA 420-A:2 is repealed and reenacted to read as follows:
\t420-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 415:6-r, RSA 415:6-u, RSA 415:18, V, RSA 415:18, XVI and XVII, RSA 415:18, VII-a, 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 415:18-v, RSA 415:18-w, RSA 415:18-z, 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.
\t6 Health Maintenance Organizations; Coverage for Massage Therapy; Effective January 1, 2017. RSA 420-B:3, III is repealed and reenacted to read as follows:
\t\tIII. 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 415:6-r, RSA 415:6-s, RSA 415:6-t, RSA 415:6-u, 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 415:18-v, RSA 415:18-w, RSA 415:18-x, RSA 415:18-y, RSA 415:18-z, RSA 415-A, RSA 415-F, RSA 420-G, and RSA 420-J shall apply to health maintenance organizations.
\t7 Health Maintenance Organizations; Coverage for Massage Therapy; Effective October 1, 2017. RSA 420-B:20, III is repealed and reenacted to read as follows:
\t\tIII. 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 415:6-r, RSA 415:6-t, RSA 415:6-u, 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 415:18-v, RSA 415:18-w, RSA 415:18-y, RSA 415:18-z, RSA 415-A, RSA 415-F, RSA 420-G, and RSA 420-J shall apply to health maintenance organizations.
\t8 Health Maintenance Organizations; Coverage for Massage Therapy; Effective January 1, 2021. RSA 420-B:3, III is repealed and reenacted to read as follows:
\t\tIII. 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 415:6-r, RSA 415:6-u, 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 415:18-v, RSA 415:18-w, RSA 415:18-z, RSA 415-A, RSA 415-F, RSA 420-G, and RSA 420-J shall apply to health maintenance organizations.
\t\tI. Sections 4 and 7 of this act shall take effect October 1, 2017 at 12:02 a.m.
\t\tII. Sections 5 and 8 of this act shall take effect January 1, 2021 at 12:01 a.m.
\t\tIII. The remainder of this shall take effect 60 days after its passage.
\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t16-2706
\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t12/17/15
SB 451-FN- FISCAL NOTE
AN ACT\trelative to insurance coverage for massage therapy.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The Insurance Department and New Hampshire Municipal Association state this bill, as introduced, will have an indeterminable impact on state general fund revenue, state expenditures, and local expenditures in FY 2017 and each year thereafter. There will be no impact on county and local revenue or on county expenditures.
METHODOLOGY:
The Insurance Department states this bill would mandate coverage for massage therapy. The Department indicates there would be a cost associated with the benefit, but insurance purchasers may “buy down” or choose coverage options in order to minimize the increase. The Department states the impact on the insurance premium tax cannot be determined. Under current law (RSA 400-A:39-b), the Department has the option of conducting a study of insurance mandate proposals. The Department indicates the cost of such a study would be $50,000.
The New Hampshire Municipal Association states it is not able to determine if this bill would increase the cost of securing health insurance for municipal employees. The Association indicates there would be no impact on municipal revenue.
The New Hampshire Association of Counties states this bill would have no impact on county revenues and expenditures.
The Department of Administrative Services states this bill would apply only to insurance carriers. The Department indicates the State employee and retiree health benefit program is self-funded and would not be subject to this insurance law coverage mandate.