Revision: June 7, 2016, midnight
\t \t\tSB 530-FN - VERSION ADOPTED BY BOTH BODIES
03/03/2016 0592s
11May2016... 1182h
06/01/2016 2118EBA
2016 SESSION
\t16-2801
\t01/09
SENATE BILL\t530-FN
AN ACT\testablishing a commission to study volunteer health care services.
SPONSORS:\tSen. Forrester, Dist 2; Sen. Morse, Dist 22; Sen. Little, Dist 8; Rep. Spanos, Belk. 3; Rep. D. Brown, Graf. 16; Rep. Vadney, Belk. 2; Rep. Gallagher, Belk. 4
COMMITTEE:\tHealth and Human Services
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AMENDED ANALYSIS
\tThis bill establishes a commission to study volunteer health care services.
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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\t\tMatter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
03/03/2016 0592s
11May2016... 1182h
06/01/2016 2118EBA\t16-2801
\t01/09
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Sixteen
AN ACT\testablishing a commission to study volunteer health care services.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
\t1 New Subdivision; Commission to Study Volunteer Health Care Services. Amend RSA 126-A by inserting after section 71 the following new subdivision:
Commission to Study Volunteer Health Care Services
\t126-A:72 Commission to Study Volunteer Health Care Services.
\t\tI. There is established a commission to study volunteer health care services.
\t\tII.(a) The members of the commission shall be as follows:
\t\t\t\t(1) One member of the senate, appointed by the president of the senate.
\t\t\t\t(2) One member of the house of representatives, appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives.
\t\t\t\t(3) The commissioner of the department of health and human services, or designee.
\t\t\t\t(4) A representative of the New Hampshire Dental Society, appointed by the society.
\t\t\t\t(5) A representative from the New Hampshire Medical Society, appointed by the society.
\t\t\t\t(6) A physician assistant, appointed by the New Hampshire board of medicine.
\t\t\t\t(7) An advanced practice registered nurse, appointed by the New Hampshire board of nursing.
\t\t\t\t(8) An optometrist, appointed by the board of registration in optometry.
\t\t\t\t(9) A representative of the New Hampshire Hospital Association, appointed by the association.
\t\t\t\t(10) The attorney general, or designee.
\t\t\t\t(11) A social worker, appointed by the board of mental health practice.
\t\t\t\t(12) A pharmacist, appointed by the pharmacy board.
\t\t\t(b) Legislative members of the commission shall receive mileage at the legislative rate when attending to the duties of the commission.
\t\tIII.(a) The commission's study shall include, but not be limited to, whether New Hampshire should create a program to allow medical professionals and licensed health care facilities to enter into contracts with the department of health and human services or a governmental contractor to allow them to provide volunteer health care services to eligible low-income patients and whether such services should be protected by immunity.
\t\t\t(b) The commission shall solicit information from any person or entity the commission deems relevant to its study.
\t\tIV. The members of the commission shall elect a chairperson from among the members. The first meeting of the commission shall be called by the senate member. The first meeting of the commission shall be held within 45 days of the effective date of this section. Seven members of the commission shall constitute a quorum.
\t\tV. The commission shall report its findings and any recommendations for proposed legislation to the president of the senate, the speaker of the house of representatives, the senate clerk, the house clerk, the governor, and the state library on or before November 1, 2017.
\t2 Repeal. RSA 126-A:72, relative to the commission to study volunteer health care services, is repealed.
\t\tI. Section 2 of this act shall take effect November 1, 2017.
\t\tII. The remainder of this act shall take effect upon its passage.
\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t16-2801
\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tRevised 2/11/16
SB 530-FN - FISCAL NOTE
AN ACT\testablishing a commission to study volunteer health care services.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The Department of Health and Human Service states this bill, as introduced, may increase state general fund expenditures by an indeterminable amount in FY 2017 and each year thereafter. There will be no impact on county and local expenditures, or on state, county, and local revenue.
METHODOLOGY:
The Department of Health and Human Services states this bill authorizes medical professionals and licensed facilities to enter into contracts with the Department or a governmental contractor to allow them to provide volunteer health care services to low-income individuals with annual household incomes not to exceed 200 percent of the federal poverty level. In addition, the bill requires the Department to: develop a quality assurance program to monitor services delivered under contracts authorized by the bill; submit an annual report summarizing the efficacy of access and treatment outcomes provided under such contracts; and develop administrative rules to implement the bill's provisions. The Department assumes it will be unable to absorb these functions within its existing budget, and will require additional staff with background and experience in quality assurance and health facilities administration. The Department is unable to determine the extent of these additional costs. In addition, while the Department is unable to estimate the number of participating medical providers or the number of individuals that may receive voluntary medical services as contemplated by the bill, it assumes there will be no direct offsetting decrease in the utilization of Medicaid services.