Bill Text - HB685 (2020)

(Second New Title) relative to insurance plans that cover maternity benefits.


Revision: Jan. 8, 2020, 2:31 p.m.

HB 685-FN - AS AMENDED BY THE HOUSE

 

8Jan2020... 2779h

2019 SESSION

19-0531

01/05

 

HOUSE BILL 685-FN

 

AN ACT establishing a committee to study reimbursement for ambulance services by insurance carriers in New Hampshire.

 

SPONSORS: Rep. Luneau, Merr. 10; Rep. Morrison, Rock. 9

 

COMMITTEE: Commerce and Consumer Affairs

 

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AMENDED ANALYSIS

 

This bill establishes a committee to study reimbursement for ambulance services by insurance carriers in New Hampshire.

 

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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

8Jan2020... 2779h 19-0531

01/05

 

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

 

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Nineteen

 

AN ACT establishing a committee to study reimbursement for ambulance services by insurance carriers in New Hampshire.

 

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

 

1  Committee Established.  There is established a committee to study reimbursement for ambulance services by insurance carriers in New Hampshire.

2  Membership and Compensation.

I.  The members of the committee shall be as follows:

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

(b)  One member of the senate, appointed by the president of the senate.

II.  Members of the committee shall receive mileage at the legislative rate when attending to the duties of the committee.

3  Duties.  The committee shall study the current manner in which ambulance services are reimbursed by insurance carriers in New Hampshire.  The committee shall further review how this process can be improved to ensure that providers, both those under contract and those not under contract with an insurance carrier, can be reimbursed at a reasonable rate.  Any process shall ensure that the insured person is not billed for fees or amounts other than copayments, deductibles, or coinsurance for covered ambulance services.

4  Chairperson; Quorum.  The members of the study committee shall elect a chairperson from among the members.  The first meeting of the committee shall be called by the first-named house member.  Three members of the committee shall constitute a quorum.

5  Report.  The committee shall report its findings and any recommendations for proposed legislation to the speaker of the house of representatives, the president of the senate, the house clerk, the senate clerk, the governor, and the state library on or before November 1, 2020.

6  Effective Date.  This act shall take effect upon its passage.

 

LBAO

19-0531

1/16/19

 

HB 685-FN- FISCAL NOTE

AS INTRODUCED

 

AN ACT relative to ambulance billing, payment for reasonable value of services, and prohibition on balance billing.

 

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

 

 

 

Estimated Increase / (Decrease)

STATE:

FY 2020

FY 2021

FY 2022

FY 2023

   Appropriation

$0

$0

$0

$0

   Revenue

Indeterminable

Indeterminable

Indeterminable

Indeterminable

   Expenditures

Indeterminable

Indeterminable

Indeterminable

Indeterminable

Funding Source:

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

 

 

 

 

 

LOCAL:

 

 

 

 

   Revenue

Indeterminable

Indeterminable

Indeterminable

Indeterminable

   Expenditures

Indeterminable

Indeterminable

Indeterminable

Indeterminable

 

METHODOLOGY:

This bill clarifies ambulance billing under the law governing emergency and medical trauma services.  The Insurance Department indicates this bill prohibits balance billing for ambulance services.  The bill limits reimbursement for ambulance services to a commercially reasonable value.  Ambulance providers and insurers are to make best efforts to resolve disputes regarding reimbursement rates before petitioning the Insurance Commissioner to determine whether the rate is commercially reasonable.  The Department states limiting rates to "commercially reasonable" may impact claim costs, which may impact insurance premiums and premium tax revenue.  The bill may also impact municipal revenues as the bill also applies to public safety agencies.  The Department is not able to estimate the potential number of conflicts it may have to resolve to ascertain whether it could handle the administrative responsibilities with existing resources.  

 

The Department of Health and Human Services indicates the potential fiscal impact to the Department of the legislation's prohibition for balance billing and requirement for commercially reasonable fees for ambulance services is indeterminable at this time.

 

The Department of Safety indicates this bill may impact local revenue for communities with a public ambulance service.

 

AGENCIES CONTACTED:

Departments of Insurance, Safety and Health and Human Services