CHAPTER 252
SB 175 -FN - FINAL VERSION
5/13/99 1197s
22june99......1644h
1999 SESSION
SENATE BILL 175-FN
AN ACT requiring insurance coverage for prescription contraceptive drugs and prescription contraceptive devices and for contraceptive services.
SPONSORS: Sen. Wheeler, Dist 21; Sen. Squires, Dist 12; Sen. Larsen, Dist 15; Sen. Russman, Dist 19; Rep. M. Fuller Clark, Rock 36; Rep. Norelli, Rock 31; Rep. Keans, Straf 16; Rep. Hager, Merr 18
This bill requires group insurance coverage for prescription contraceptive drugs and prescription contraceptive devices and for contraceptive services.
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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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
5/13/99 1197s
22june99......1644h
99-0844
01/09
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord One Thousand Nine Hundred and Ninety-Nine
AN ACT requiring insurance coverage for prescription contraceptive drugs and prescription contraceptive devices and for contraceptive services.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
252:1 New Section; Coverage for Prescription Contraceptive Drugs and Prescription Contraceptive Devices and for Contraceptive Services. Amend RSA 415 by inserting after section 18-h the following new section:
415:18-i Coverage for Prescription Contraceptive Drugs and Prescription Contraceptive Devices and for Contraceptive Services. Each insurer that issues or renews any group or blanket policy of accident or health insurance providing benefits for medical or hospital expenses, which provides coverage for outpatient services shall provide to each group, or to the portion of each group comprised of certificate holders of such insurance who are residents of this state, coverage for outpatient contraceptive services under the same terms and conditions as for other outpatient services. "Outpatient contraceptive services" means consultations, examinations, and medical services, provided on an outpatient basis and related to the use of contraceptive methods to prevent pregnancy which has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Each insurer that issues or renews any policy of group or blanket accident or health insurance providing benefits for medical or hospital expenses which provides a prescription rider shall cover all prescription contraceptive drugs and prescription contraceptive devices approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration under the same terms and conditions as other prescription drugs. Nothing in this section shall be construed as altering the terms and conditions of a contract relating to prescription drugs and outpatient services.
252:2 New Section; Coverage for Prescription Contraceptive Drugs and Prescription Contraceptive Devices and for Contraceptive Services. Amend RSA 420-A by inserting after section 17-b the following new section:
420-A:17-c Coverage for Prescription Contraceptive Drugs and Prescription Contraceptive Devices and for Contraceptive Services. Every health service corporation and every other similar corporation licensed under the laws of another state that issues or renews any policy of group or blanket accident or health insurance providing benefits for medical or hospital expenses, which provides coverage for outpatient services shall provide to each group, or to the portion of each group comprised of certificate holders of such insurance who are residents of this state, coverage for outpatient contraceptive services under the same terms and conditions as for other outpatient services. "Outpatient contraceptive services" means consultations, examinations, and medical services, provided on an outpatient basis and related to the use of contraceptive methods to prevent pregnancy which has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Each health service corporation and every other similar corporation licensed under the laws of a different state that issues or renews any group or blanket policy of accident or health insurance providing benefits for medical or hospital expenses which provides a prescription rider shall cover all prescription contraceptive drugs and prescription contraceptive devices approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration under the same terms and conditions as other prescription drugs. Nothing in this section shall be construed as altering the terms and conditions of a contract relating to prescription drugs and outpatient services.
252:3 New Section; Coverage for Prescription Contraceptive Drugs and Prescription Contraceptive Devices and for Contraceptive Services. Amend RSA 420-B by inserting after section 8-g the following new section:
420-B:8-gg Coverage for Prescription Contraceptive Drugs and Prescription Contraceptive Devices and for Contraceptive Services. Every health maintenance organization and every other similar corporation licensed under the laws of another state that issues or renews any policy of group or blanket health insurance providing benefits for medical or hospital expenses, which provides coverage for outpatient services shall provide to each group, or to the portion of each group comprised of certificate holders of such insurance who are residents of this state, coverage for outpatient contraceptive services under the same terms and conditions as for other outpatient services. "Outpatient contraceptive services" means consultations, examinations, and medical services, provided on an outpatient basis and related to the use of contraceptive methods to prevent pregnancy which has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Each health maintenance organization and every other similar corporation licensed under the laws of another state that issues or renews any group or blanket health insurance providing benefits for medical or hospital expenses which provides a prescription rider shall cover all prescription contraceptive drugs and prescription contraceptive devices approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration under the same terms and conditions as other prescription drugs. Nothing in this section shall be construed as altering the terms and conditions of a contract relating to prescription drugs and outpatient services.
252:4 Effective Date. This act shall take effect on January 1, 2000.
(Approved: July 9, 1999)
(Effective Date: January 1, 2000)
LBAO
99-0844
Amended 6/24/99
SB 175 FISCAL NOTE
AN ACT requiring insurance coverage for prescription contraceptive drugs and prescription contraceptive devices and for contraceptive services.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The Insurance Department stated this bill, as amended by the House, may increase state, county and local expenditures by an indeterminable amount in FY 2000 and each year thereafter. There will be no fiscal impact on state, county and local revenue.
METHODOLOGY:
The Department indicated the state employee contract does provide some coverage for prescription drugs and devices for contraceptive services. The Department is unable to determine whether the state employee contract provides coverage for all such FDA approved methods, and what constitutes the range of methods approved by the FDA. The Department has no knowledge regarding what percentage of county and municipal plans have coverage, therefore, the Department is unable to determine the increase in premium costs for state, county and local governments.