Revision: Nov. 10, 2025, 3:10 p.m.
Rep. Hunt, Ches. 14
October 7, 2025
2025-2990h
05/08
Amendment to HB 241-FN
Amend the title of the bill by replacing it with the following:
AN ACT relative to health insurance coverage of pain management services for the management of chronic pain.
Amend the bill by replacing all after section 1 with the following:
2 New Section; Managed Care Law; Development of a Comprehensive Program of Pain Management Services for the Management of Chronic Pain. Amend RSA 420-J by inserting after section 7-e the following new section:
420-J:7-f Development of a Comprehensive Program of Pain Management Services for the Management of Chronic Pain.
I. Health carriers shall develop, in accordance with guidelines established by the insurance department, a program to provide access to a broad spectrum of covered pain management services, including, but not limited to, non-medication, nonsurgical treatment modalities, and non-opioid medication treatment options that serve as alternatives to opioid prescribing. This plan shall be approved by the department as a component of the form filing and approval process.
II. Health carriers shall provide to covered persons who suffer from a chronic pain condition information regarding the pain management program and how to access services included in the program. Such information shall also be publicly available on the health carrier’s website.
III. Health carriers shall annually distribute educational materials about the program to providers within their networks.
IV. Health carriers shall not require a covered person accessing services as part of the program to obtain prior authorization for covered, non-medication, nonsurgical treatment modalities that include restorative therapies, behavioral health approaches or integrative health therapies, including acupuncture, chiropractic treatments, massage and movement therapies.
V. No program under this section may establish utilization controls, including prior authorization or step therapy requirements, for clinically appropriate non-opioid drugs approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration for the treatment or management of pain, that are more restrictive or extensive than the least restrictive or extensive utilization controls applicable to any clinically appropriate opioid drug.
3 Effective Date. This act shall take effect January 1, 2027.
2025-2990h
AMENDED ANALYSIS
This bill requires health carriers to develop, in accordance with guidelines established by the insurance department, a program to provide access to a broad spectrum of covered pain management services for the management of chronic pain.