SB 468 allows alternative treatment centers (ATCs) that provide medical cannabis to apply for permission to operate greenhouse cultivation facilities, which typically use less energy than indoor growing. ATCs must submit a detailed plan showing how greenhouse cultivation will lower energy costs and reduce prices for registered qualifying patients. The state department must create rules for greenhouse operations - including security, location, and compliance with local zoning - and seek input from patients, caregivers, and community residents before approving new sites. ATCs will also report annually on greenhouse impacts to energy costs and product prices as part of their required state filings.
HB 725 prohibits ambulance providers from charging patients extra fees (balance billing) after insurance pays for services. It requires health insurance companies to pay nonparticipating ambulance providers the lesser of three amounts: the local government's set rate, 325% of Medicare's rate for the same service, or the provider's billed charges. This payment is considered full payment, meaning providers cannot bill patients for additional costs beyond standard copayments, coinsurance, or deductibles. The bill applies to ground ambulance services and takes effect January 1, 2026.
This bill requires schools to obtain written parental consent for each new medical service provided to students enrolled in the Medicaid to schools program. It defines "each new service" as any new Medicaid diagnostic code (ICD code), meaning consent must be renewed for each distinct health service. The bill directly affects students receiving school-based Medicaid health services and their parents or legal guardians. Schools must implement this consent process starting January 1, 2026, and the state must submit annual reports on program costs and participation to legislative committees.
HB 392 directs the dissolution of three specific state entities: the Department of Health and Human Services' Office of Health Equity, the Department of Environmental Services' environmental justice programs, and the Governor's Council on Diversity and Inclusion. The bill prohibits these agencies from re-establishing these offices or using any allocated funds for projects labeled "health equity" or "civil rights and environmental justice." It also removes the Office of Health Equity director position from state statute and repeals related membership requirements. This bill affects state agencies' program structures and funding allocations, with no new funding provided or positions authorized.
SB 479 allows alternative treatment centers (ATCs) to operate as for-profit businesses, previously requiring them to be non-profit entities. This bill amends state law to permit ATCs organized as business corporations or limited liability companies (instead of only non-profit voluntary corporations) to sell cannabis to qualifying patients. Key provisions remove the mandatory non-profit status requirement and establish procedures for non-profit ATCs to legally convert to for-profit structures. The change directly affects ATC operators seeking to pursue commercial models while maintaining existing patient access to therapeutic cannabis.
HB 1378 would require healthcare providers to give parents or legal guardians full access to their minor child's electronic medical records (including online patient portals), except in three specific cases: 1) when the minor can legally consent to treatment without parents (e.g., certain reproductive or mental health services), 2) when a protective order or court ruling prohibits access, or 3) when a provider documents in writing that disclosure could cause abuse or neglect. This bill directly affects parents, guardians, and healthcare providers by changing how medical records are shared. It aims to support parental involvement in children’s healthcare decisions while preserving existing legal protections for minors in sensitive situations. The bill takes effect 60 days after enactment.
HB 1702 requires pharmacies and medical facilities in New Hampshire to post a standardized notice about mifepristone (a drug used for chemical abortions) when dispensing it. The notice, displayed prominently in specific areas like waiting rooms or pharmacy counters, states that mifepristone may sometimes be reversible if the second pill hasn’t been taken, and provides a contact for resources. Noncompliance could result in a class B felony charge for providers or civil lawsuits seeking damages for patients harmed by the lack of notice. The bill directly affects pharmacies and clinics dispensing mifepristone, with no estimated state or local costs.
SB 609 requires hospitals, ambulatory surgical centers, and emergency medical care centers to develop evidence-based screening and treatment plans for venous thromboembolism (VTE), including annual training for nonphysician staff. It mandates these facilities to report specific patient data - such as age, race, zip code, diagnosis method, and treatment - to a statewide VTE registry starting July 2027. The Department of Health must contract with a qualified nonprofit entity to maintain the registry, using nationally recognized data collection standards. The registry will track VTE incidence, outcomes, and treatment patterns to improve care systems and ensure compliance with national guidelines. This bill directly affects healthcare facilities and patients treated for blood clots, focusing on standardized screening and data-driven care improvements.
HB 1249 allows pharmacists to prescribe and dispense specific medical devices necessary for administering prescribed medications, directly affecting pharmacists and patients who use these devices. Key provisions include authorizing pharmacists to provide inhalation spacers, CPAP supplies, diabetes testing kits, insulin pump supplies, and related items like pen needles. Pharmacists must notify the prescribing provider after dispensing but are not required to do so before. The bill amends pharmacy practice definitions and requires the Board of Pharmacy to adopt implementing rules with medical and nursing boards.
HB 1763 requires New Hampshire's Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) to pay municipalities compensation equal to the lost property tax revenue from nonprofit residential facilities (like nursing homes or shelters) that are tax-exempt under state law. This compensation is calculated based on each facility's assessed property value and the municipality's tax rate, paid to the municipality before DHHS funds are disbursed to the nonprofit. The bill mandates nonprofits to provide property assessment verification, and DHHS must pay this compensation no later than 30 days prior to funding the facility. The fiscal note estimates annual costs of $11.5 million+ starting in 2027, funded from existing appropriations without new revenue or positions.
