Healthcare

signed · New Hampshire · Senate Jun 24, 2026

SB 607: relative to short-term, limited duration health insurance policies

SB 607 aligns New Hampshire's rules with federal limits for short-term health insurance policies. It prohibits insurers from offering these policies for more than the maximum duration permitted under federal law, removing previous state-specific limits (like the 6-month cap and 540-day total coverage restriction). This directly affects consumers seeking temporary health coverage and insurance companies selling these policies in New Hampshire. The bill ensures state regulations do not allow longer coverage periods than federal guidelines permit. It becomes effective January 1, 2027.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRemoves state-specific limits on short-term insurance duration, aligning with federal standards to expand consumer access to temporary health coverage options.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Insurance

signed · New Hampshire · Senate Jul 9, 2026

SB 550: relative to insurance coverage for services provided by naturopathy providers.

SB 550 requires group health insurance policies issued in New Hampshire to cover services provided by licensed naturopathy providers when the same type of service would be covered if performed by another healthcare provider. This applies directly to insurers offering group health plans and patients seeking naturopathy care. The bill mandates that insurers cannot apply higher copays, deductibles, or coinsurance for these services compared to other covered treatments. It takes effect 60 days after passage and does not require insurers to cover new services, only those already covered under equivalent provider types. The fiscal note indicates potential small premium increases but no determinable state or local cost impact.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates insurance coverage for naturopathy services with parity to other providers, expanding access without higher copays/deductibles.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Insurance

signed · New Hampshire · Senate Jul 9, 2026

SB 544: relative to managed care laws.

SB 544 prevents health insurance companies from removing drugs from their coverage lists mid-year. It requires insurers to continue covering any prescription drug that was approved under a policy until the enrollee's next plan renewal date, even if the drug is later removed from the formulary. This directly affects individuals enrolled in health benefit plans who rely on specific medications. Changes to drug coverage can only occur at renewal dates and must apply uniformly to all similar plans.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcarePrevents mid-year removal of prescription drugs from insurance formularies, ensuring continuity of coverage and protecting patient access to necessary medications without sudden changes.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Insurance Prescription Drugs

died · New Hampshire · House Feb 25, 2026

HB 1316: restricting the collection and disclosure of autism-related data by state agencies.

HB 1316 restricts New Hampshire state agencies from collecting or disclosing personally identifiable autism-related data (such as an individual's autism diagnosis) unless the data is used for specific, limited purposes like administering benefits, providing medical care, or complying with education laws. Agencies must ensure any data collection complies with federal privacy laws (like HIPAA) and avoid using data scraping technology. Disclosure outside state government requires the individual’s or guardian’s written consent, court order, or necessity for essential services like education or healthcare. The bill explicitly preserves existing disability protections under federal laws like the Americans with Disabilities Act and IDEA.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRestricts data collection/disclosure to protect patient privacy, aligning with patient rights protection in healthcare policies.85% confidence ✗ TechnologyOpposes TechnologyRestricts data scraping technology use for privacy, limiting a specific tech application per bill's explicit language.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Data Privacy

Track

died · New Hampshire · House Feb 25, 2026

HB 1179: relative to minimum nursing home staffing standards.

HB 1179 sets minimum staffing requirements for nursing homes in New Hampshire, directly affecting licensed facilities and their residents. The bill mandates 24-hour registered nurse (RN) coverage, a minimum of 0.75 RN hours per resident daily, 0.55 licensed practical nurse (LPN) hours per resident daily, and a total of 4.1 nursing hours per resident daily. These standards apply to all nursing homes licensed under RSA 151:9 and take effect 60 days after enactment. The law establishes concrete, measurable staffing targets without specifying enforcement mechanisms or penalties.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill mandates specific nursing staffing levels (RN/LPN hours) to improve resident care standards in nursing homes, directly strengthening healthcare service quality and patient safety.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentMandates minimum nurse staffing ratios (0.75 RN/0.55 LPN hours per resident), directly improving workplace safety and employment standards for nursing home staff.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Healthcare Workforce Long-Term Care

Track

in committee · New Hampshire · House Mar 5, 2026

HB 1292: expanding the right to try act to include certain qualifying severe illness and permitting certain regenerative stem cell therapies under the act.

HB 1292 expands New Hampshire's Right to Try Act to allow patients with "qualifying severe illness" access to unapproved treatments. The bill adds new rules for regenerative stem cell therapies, requiring patient consent, facility accreditation, and clear advertising disclosures. It specifically prohibits the use of stem cells derived from fetal or embryonic sources after an abortion. This policy change directly affects New Hampshire residents with severe illnesses who seek experimental treatments not yet approved by the FDA.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExpands patient access to unapproved treatments for severe illnesses under strict safeguards, improving healthcare access for vulnerable populations.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Women's Health

Track

failed · New Hampshire · Senate Apr 23, 2026

SB 543: relative to long-term care eligibility and making an appropriation therefor.

SB 543 establishes provisional eligibility for Medicaid nursing facility services in New Hampshire, directly affecting long-term care applicants and nursing facilities. The bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services to grant temporary coverage within 90 days of application submission if a facility agrees to comply with program terms, without waiting for full application completion. This provisional status lasts up to 18 months or until a final eligibility decision, with facilities receiving payments during this period and required to reimburse funds if final approval is denied. The bill appropriates $1 for the 2026-2027 biennium to fund this program and creates two new positions within the department to manage it (per RSA 167:8).

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill explicitly appropriates funds for Medicaid nursing facility provisional coverage, directly funding essential long-term care services.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareEstablishes provisional Medicaid nursing facility eligibility, reducing wait times for long-term care access and expanding patient coverage under public health program.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Appropriations Long-Term Care Medicaid

Track

failed · New Hampshire · House Mar 13, 2026

HB 1760: repealing the directive that the department of health and human services seek a waiver to establish pharmacy copayment and premium requirements under the state Medicaid plan and making an appropriation therefor.

HB 1760 repeals a requirement that the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services seek a waiver to impose pharmacy copayments and premiums on Medicaid beneficiaries, including those in the New Hampshire Advantage Health Care Program and the Children's Health Insurance Program. It removes specific law sections (2025, 141:65; RSA 126-AA:2-a; and RSA 126-A:3, IX) that would have mandated these cost-sharing measures. The bill appropriates funds to the Department of Health and Human Services to cover the resulting revenue shortfall for the 2026-2027 biennium. This change directly eliminates new costs for Medicaid participants while maintaining program funding stability.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesRepeals Medicaid copayment requirement and appropriates state funds to cover costs, directly funding Medicaid without beneficiary cost-sharing.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRepeals Medicaid copayment/premium mandates, eliminating cost barriers for beneficiaries and improving access to care under state Medicaid programs.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Appropriations Revenue Children's Health Insurance Medicaid

Track

signed · New Hampshire · Senate Jun 22, 2026

SB 610: allowing the insurance commissioner to approve innovative short or long-term care policies.

SB 610 revises New Hampshire's long-term care insurance regulations by moving the insurance commissioner's rulemaking authority for loss ratio standards into a new section of the law. It allows the commissioner to approve innovative long-term care policies if they benefit the public and offer reasonable value relative to premiums, while updating criteria for disapproving insurance forms (e.g., removing unreasonable benefits or deceptive pricing). The bill also permits public hearings on form and rate filings, with the commissioner able to limit disclosure of sensitive details during these hearings. These changes directly affect insurers, the insurance commissioner, and long-term care policyholders by streamlining approvals and clarifying regulatory processes.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareApproves innovative long-term care policies with public benefit and reasonable premiums, strengthening insurance standards for healthcare access.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Long-Term Care

signed · New Hampshire · Senate Jul 17, 2026

SB 429: relative to the placement of trauma kits in public schools and making an appropriation therefor and relative to the parental bill of rights concerning the creation of student media recordings.

SB 429 requires all public schools in New Hampshire to install trauma kits containing specific emergency supplies (tourniquets, bleeding control bandages, gloves, scissors, and official training materials) by July 2026. The bill establishes a dedicated "trauma kit fund" in the state treasury, appropriating $25,000 for the 2026-2027 fiscal year to cover kit procurement and distribution. It applies specifically to public schools (excluding vacant or under-construction buildings) and mandates the Department of Administrative Services to determine kit placement priorities. The law does not require school staff to use the kits during emergencies and specifies exact contents based on national emergency response standards.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAppropriates $25,000 for trauma kits in public schools, directly funding an essential safety program through state budget allocation.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates trauma kits in schools for emergency medical response, funding equipment to improve access to urgent care services.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Appropriations Procurement