Bill Text - SB115 (2019)

Establishing a commission to study the business environment for mental health providers in New Hampshire.


Revision: Jan. 18, 2019, 2:48 p.m.

SB 115  - AS INTRODUCED

 

 

2019 SESSION

19-0983

05/10

 

SENATE BILL 115

 

AN ACT establishing a commission to study the business environment for mental health providers in New Hampshire.

 

SPONSORS: Sen. Feltes, Dist 15; Sen. Hennessey, Dist 5

 

COMMITTEE: Executive Departments and Administration

 

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ANALYSIS

 

This bill establishes a commission to study the business environment for mental health providers.

 

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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

19-0983

05/10

 

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

 

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Nineteen

 

AN ACT establishing a commission to study the business environment for mental health providers in New Hampshire.

 

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

 

1  New Section; Commission to Study the Business Environment for Mental Health Providers in New Hampshire.  Amend RSA 330-A by inserting after section 26 the following new section:

330-A:26-a  Commission Established.

I.  There is established a commission to study the business environment for mental health providers in New Hampshire.  

II.  The members of the commission shall be as follows:

(a)  Two members of the senate, appointed by the president of the senate.

(b)  Three members of the house of representatives, appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives.

(c)  The insurance commissioner, or designee.

(d)  The commissioner of the department of health and humans services, or designee.

(e)  One representative of the insurance or managed care industry, appointed by America's Health Insurance Plans (AHIP).

(f)  One member of the public representing individual or small mental health practices, appointed by the Clinicians United chapter of the State Employees' Association of New Hampshire, SEIU Local 1984.

(g)  One member of the public representing individual or small mental health practices, appointed by the New Hampshire Providers Association.

(h)  One member of the public representing individual or small mental health practices, appointed by the New Hampshire chapter of the National Association of Social Workers.

III.  Legislative members of the commission shall receive mileage at the legislative rate when attending to the duties of the commission.

IV.  The focus of the commission shall be to identify ways to improve the ability of individual and small mental health practices to thrive in the state of New Hampshire.  The study shall include an examination of:

(a)  Provider and insurance billing practices and regulations.

(b)  Access to affordable education and advanced degrees in the area of mental health practice.

(c)  Commercial insurance rates and mental health parity.

(d)  Methods to strengthen and expand the existing mental health provider network to ensure that an adequate number of providers are available to meet the need for mental health services within the state.

V.  The members of the study commission shall elect a chairperson from among the members.  The first meeting of the commission shall be called by the insurance commissioner.  The first meeting of the commission shall be held within 45 days of the effective date of this section.  Five members of the commission shall constitute a quorum.

VI.  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, 2019.

2  Repeal.  RSA 330-A:26-a, relative to the commission to study the business environment for mental health providers, is repealed.

3  Effective Date.  

I.  Section 2 of this act shall take effect November 1, 2019.

II.  The remainder of this act shall take effect upon its passage.