Bill Text - HB127 (2019)

(New Title) relative to the board of medicine and the medical review subcommittee and relative to health care workforce survey data.


Revision: Feb. 15, 2019, 11:55 a.m.

HB 127 - AS AMENDED BY THE HOUSE

 

14Feb2019... 0043h

2019 SESSION

19-0040

10/04

 

HOUSE BILL 127

 

AN ACT relative to the board of medicine and the medical review subcommittee.

 

SPONSORS: Rep. Campion, Graf. 12; Rep. Fothergill, Coos 1; Rep. Weber, Ches. 1; Sen. Feltes, Dist 15

 

COMMITTEE: Health, Human Services and Elderly Affairs

 

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ANALYSIS

 

This bill clarifies the service of the medical director on the board of medicine and the employment of the medical review subcommittee investigator.

 

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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

14Feb2019... 0043h 19-0040

10/04

 

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

 

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Nineteen

 

AN ACT relative to the board of medicine and the medical review subcommittee.

 

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

 

1  Physicians and Surgeons; Examining Board; Appointment.  Amend RSA 329:4, I to read as follows:

I.  The commissioner or the medical director of the department of health and human services, or the commissioner's physician designee, shall serve as a voting member of the board[, or in the case of a vacancy in the office of medical director, the commissioner shall appoint a designee].  The commissioner and the medical director, or designee, are exempt from the provisions of RSA 329:4, II and the residency requirements of RSA 329:3.

2  Medical Review Subcommittee; Investigator.  Amend RSA 329:17, V-a to read as follows:

V-a.  A medical review subcommittee of 13 members shall be nominated by the board of medicine and appointed by the governor and council.  The subcommittee shall consist of 13 persons, [3 of whom shall be public members, one of whom shall be a physician assistant, and] 9 of whom shall be physicians, one of whom shall be a physician assistant, and 3 of whom shall be public members.  One of the physician members shall practice in the area of pain medicine and anesthesiology.  [Any] No public member of the subcommittee shall be [a person who is not, and never was,] or ever have been a member of the medical profession or the spouse of [any such person, and who does not have, and never has had,] a member of the medical profession.  No public member shall have or ever have had a material financial interest in either the provision of medical services or an activity directly related to medicine, including the representation of the board or profession for a fee[ at any time during the 5 years preceding appointment].  The terms of the public members shall be staggered so that no 2 public members' terms expire in the same year.  The subcommittee members shall be appointed for 3-year terms, and shall serve no more than 2 terms.  Upon referral by the board, the subcommittee shall review disciplinary actions reported to the board under paragraphs II-V of this section, except that matters concerning a medical director involved in a current internal or external grievance pursuant to RSA 420-J shall not be reviewed until the grievance process has been completed.  Following review of each case, the subcommittee shall make recommendations to the board.  Funds shall be appropriated from the general fund for use by the subcommittee to investigate allegations under paragraphs I-V of this section.  [The board shall employ through the office of professional licensure and certification a physician as a medical review subcommittee investigator who shall serve at the pleasure of the board.  The salary of the medical review subcommittee investigator shall be established by RSA 94:1-a.]  The state of New Hampshire, by the board and the office of professional licensure and certification, and with the approval of governor and council, shall contract with a qualified physician to serve as a medical review subcommittee investigator.

3  Effective Date.  This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.