CHAPTER 144
SB 177-FN - FINAL VERSION
01/03/2024 2418s
2024 SESSION
23-1041
05/04
SENATE BILL 177-FN
AN ACT relative to health insurance coverage of prosthetics for children under 19 years of age.
SPONSORS: Sen. Prentiss, Dist 5; Sen. Perkins Kwoka, Dist 21; Sen. Watters, Dist 4; Sen. Soucy, Dist 18; Sen. Whitley, Dist 15; Sen. Fenton, Dist 10; Sen. Carson, Dist 14; Rep. Bolton, Graf. 8; Rep. Palmer, Sull. 2; Rep. Morse, Graf. 9
COMMITTEE: Health and Human Services
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AMENDED ANALYSIS
This bill requires group insurance policies, health service corporations, and health maintenance organizations to provide insurance coverage for prosthetic devices, including activity-specific devices, for children under 19 years of age.
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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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
01/03/2024 2418s 23-1041
05/04
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty Four
AN ACT relative to health insurance coverage of prosthetics for children under 19 years of age.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
144:1 New Section; Accident and Health Insurance; Coverage for Prosthetic Devices; Group. Amend RSA 415 by inserting after section 18-ee the following new section:
415:18-ff Coverage for Prosthetic Devices for Children. Each insurer that issues or renews a policy of group or blanket accident or health insurance providing benefits for medical or hospital expenses shall provide coverage for prosthetic devices, including activity-specific prosthetic devices, for children under 19 years of age, who are residents of this state and covered by such insurance. The insurer may limit coverage for activity-specific prosthetic devices to one activity-specific prosthetic device per plan year. Medically necessary prosthetic devices shall not be subject to any annual limits. Coverage under this section shall be subject to such other terms and conditions of the policy that may apply.
I. Covered benefits shall include:
(a) All materials and components necessary to use the device;
(b) Instruction to the enrollee on using the device; and
(c) The repair or replacement of a prosthetic device that is determined medically necessary or is necessary for maximizing the enrollee’s ability to engage in the specific activity.
II. In this section:
(a) “Prosthetic” means an artificial substitute for a body part for functional or therapeutic purposes.
(b) “Activity-specific prosthetic device” means a prosthetic device designed to allow an individual to participate in a specific activity that could damage the residual limb or everyday prosthesis, or when the everyday prosthesis would not function effectively to perform that specified activity.
III. This section shall not apply to plans available through the Small Business Health Options Program (SHOP).
144:2 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 415:6-z, RSA 415:6-a1, 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 415:18-dd, RSA 415:18-ee, RSA 415:18-ff, 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.
144:3 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 415:6-z, RSA 415:6-a1, 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 415:18-dd, RSA 415:18-ee, RSA 415:18-ff, RSA 415-A, RSA 415-F, RSA 420-G, and RSA 420-J shall apply to health maintenance organizations.
144:4 Effective Date. This act shall take effect January 1, 2025.
Approved: July 03, 2024
Effective Date: January 01, 2025
| Date | Amendment |
|---|---|
| Nov. 6, 2023 | 2023-2418s |
| Date | Body | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Feb. 8, 2023 | Senate | Hearing |
| Senate | Floor Vote | |
| Jan. 3, 2024 | Senate | Floor Vote |
| April 23, 2024 | House | Hearing |
| May 15, 2024 | House | Exec Session |
| May 15, 2024 | House | Floor Vote |
July 10, 2024: Signed by the Governor on 07/03/2024; Chapter 0144; Effective 01/01/2025
June 25, 2024: Enrolled (in recess of) 06/13/2024 HJ 16
June 24, 2024: Enrolled Adopted, VV, (In recess 06/13/2024); SJ 18
June 24, 2024: Enrolled Adopted, VV, (In recess 06/13/2024); SJ 17
June 25, 2024: Enrolled (in recess of) 06/13/2024 HJ 16 P. 45
May 23, 2024: Ought to Pass: MA VV 05/23/2024 HJ 14 P. 3
May 15, 2024: Committee Report: Ought to Pass 05/15/2024 (Vote 18-0; CC) HC 20 P. 5
May 8, 2024: Executive Session: 05/15/2024 10:00 am LOB 302-304
May 1, 2024: Subcommittee Work Session: 05/07/2024 10:00 am LOB 302-304
April 9, 2024: Public Hearing: 04/23/2024 11:00 am LOB 302-304
Feb. 29, 2024: Introduced (in recess of) 02/22/2024 and referred to Commerce and Consumer Affairs HJ 6 P. 137
Jan. 3, 2024: Ought to Pass with Amendment 2023-2418s, MA, VV; OT3rdg; 01/03/2024; SJ 1
Jan. 3, 2024: Committee Amendment # 2023-2418s, AA, VV; 01/03/2024; SJ 1
Dec. 18, 2023: Committee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2023-2418s, 01/03/2024, Vote 5-0; SC 49
Nov. 7, 2023: Committee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2023-2418s, Vote 5-0
March 16, 2023: Rereferred to Committee, MA, VV; 03/16/2023; SJ 10
March 9, 2023: Committee Report: Rereferred to Committee, 03/16/2023; Vote 5-0; CC; SC 13
Feb. 1, 2023: Hearing: 02/08/2023, Room 101, LOB, 09:15 am; SC 9
Jan. 20, 2023: Introduced 01/19/2023 and Referred to Health and Human Services; SJ 5