Bill Text - HB1633 (2020)

Relative to insurance coverage for tick-borne illness.


Revision: Dec. 10, 2019, 1:59 p.m.

HB 1633-FN - AS INTRODUCED

 

 

2020 SESSION

20-2434

01/10

 

HOUSE BILL 1633-FN

 

AN ACT relative to insurance coverage for tick-borne illness.

 

SPONSORS: Rep. M. Murray, Hills. 22; Rep. W. Thomas, Hills. 21; Rep. Panasiti, Hills. 22; Rep. Bixby, Straf. 17; Sen. Chandley, Dist 11

 

COMMITTEE: Commerce and Consumer Affairs

 

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ANALYSIS

 

This bill requires insurance coverage for further blood testing for persons who are still symptomatic after a first blood test for tick-borne illness.

 

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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

20-2434

01/10

 

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

 

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty

 

AN ACT relative to insurance coverage for tick-borne illness.

 

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

 

1  New Section; Accident and Health Insurance; Coverage for Tick -Borne Illness; Individual.  Amend RSA 415 by inserting after section 6-x the following new section:

415:6-y  Coverage for Tick-Borne Illness.  Each insurer that issues or renews any individual policy 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 further blood testing, including testing by a third party, for persons who are still symptomatic after a first blood test for tick-borne illness.  Benefits provided under this section shall not be subject to any greater co-payment, deductible, or coinsurance than any other similar benefits provided by the insurer.

2  New Section; Accident and Health Insurance; Coverage for Tick-Borne Illness; Group.  Amend RSA 415 by inserting after section 18-bb the following new section:

415:18-cc  Coverage for Tick-Borne Illness.  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 further blood testing, including testing by a third party, for persons who are still symptomatic after a first blood test for tick-borne illness.  Benefits provided under this section shall not be subject to any greater co-payment, deductible, or coinsurance than any other similar benefits provided by the insurer.

3  Health Services Corporations; Applicable Statutes.  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 415:6-r, RSA 415:6-t, RSA 415:6-u, RSA 415:6-v, RSA 415:6-w, RSA 415:6-x, RSA 415:6-y, RSA 415:18, V, RSA 415:18, XVI and XVII, RSA 415:18, VII-a, RSA 415:18-a, RSA 415:18-i, 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 415:18-aa, RSA 415:18-bb, RSA 415:18-cc, 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  Health Services Corporations; Applicable Statutes; Effective January 2021.  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 415:6-r, RSA 415:6-u, RSA 415:6-v, RSA 415:6-w, RSA 415:6-x, RSA 415:6-y, RSA 415:18, V, RSA 415:18, XVI and XVII, RSA 415:18, VII-a, RSA 415:18-a, RSA 415:18-i, 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 415:18-aa, RSA 415:18-bb, RSA 415:18-cc, 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.

5  Health Maintenance Organizations; Statutory Construction.  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 415:6-r, RSA 415:6-t, RSA 415:6-u, RSA 415:6-v, RSA 415:6-w, RSA 415:6-x, RSA 415:6-y, RSA 415:18, VII-a, RSA 415:18, XVI and XVII, RSA 415:18-i, 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 415:18-aa, RSA 415:18-bb, RSA 415:18-cc, RSA 415-A, RSA 415-F, RSA 420-G, and RSA 420-J shall apply to health maintenance organizations.

6  Health Maintenance Organizations; Statutory Construction; Effective January 1, 2021.  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 415:6-r, RSA 415:6-u, RSA 415:6-v, RSA 415:6-w, RSA 415:6-x, RSA 415:6-y, RSA 415:18, VII-a, RSA 415:18, XVI and XVII, RSA 415:18-i, 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 415:18-aa, RSA 415:18-bb, RSA 415:18-cc, RSA 415-A, RSA 415-F, RSA 420-G, and RSA 420-J shall apply to health maintenance organizations.  

7  Effective Date.

I.  Sections 4 and 6 shall take effect January 1, 2021 at 12:03 p.m.

II.  The remainder of this act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.

 

LBAO

20-2434

12/10/19

 

HB 1633-FN- FISCAL NOTE

AS INTRODUCED

 

AN ACT relative to insurance coverage for tick-borne illness.

 

FISCAL IMPACT:      [ X ] State              [ X ] County               [ X ] Local              [    ] None

 

 

 

Estimated Increase / (Decrease)

STATE:

FY 2020

FY 2021

FY 2022

FY 2023

   Appropriation

$0

$0

$0

$0

   Revenue

$0

Indeterminable

Indeterminable

Indeterminable

   Expenditures

$0

Indeterminable

Indeterminable

Indeterminable

Funding Source:

  [    ] General            [    ] Education            [    ] Highway           [    ] Other

 

 

 

 

 

COUNTY:

 

 

 

 

   Revenue

$0

$0

$0

$0

   Expenditures

$0

Indeterminable

Indeterminable

Indeterminable

 

 

 

 

 

LOCAL:

 

 

 

 

   Revenue

$0

$0

$0

$0

   Expenditures

$0

Indeterminable

Indeterminable

Indeterminable

 

METHODOLOGY:

This bill requires insurance coverage for further blood testing for persons who are still symptomatic after a first blood test for tick-borne illness.

 

The Insurance Department indicates, under federal law, the cost for this insurance mandate would be borne by the State for policies issued through the insurance exchange.  The Department assumes coverage mandates may increase claim costs, which may cause premiums and premium tax revenue to increase.

 

The Department of Health and Human Services assumes this bill applies to commercial insurers only and does not apply to the Medicaid program.  As such, there would be no fiscal impact to the Department.

 

The Department of Administrative Services indicates this bill would have no fiscal impact on the State Health Benefits Plan for Employees and Retirees because it is a governmental self-funded plan and is not governed by managed care law.

 

AGENCIES CONTACTED:

Departments of Insurance, Administrative Services and Health and Human Services