SB 185-FN - AS INTRODUCED

2015 SESSION

15-0288

01/10

SENATE BILL 185-FN

AN ACT extending the New Hampshire health protection program.

SPONSORS: Sen. Pierce, Dist 5; Sen. Feltes, Dist 15

COMMITTEE: Health and Human Services

ANALYSIS

This bill extends the New Hampshire health protection program. The program currently would expire December 31, 2016.

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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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

15-0288

01/10

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Fifteen

AN ACT extending the New Hampshire health protection program.

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

1 Department of Health and Human Services; Medicaid Program. Amend RSA 126-A:5, XXIII(a) to read as follows:

XXIII.(a) The commissioner shall provide access to the health insurance premium payment (HIPP) program established by the department pursuant to section 1906 of the Social Security Act of 1935 to Medicaid newly eligible adults from 0-133 percent of the federal poverty level (FPL) who are eligible for medical assistance under section 1902(a)(10)(A)(i)(VIII) of the Social Security Act of 1935, as amended, 42 U.S.C. section 1396a(a)(10)(A)(i) (“newly eligible adults”) and their spouse and dependents if applicable [until December 31, 2016] to maximize the use of private insurance and available federal assistance. All newly eligible adults who have access to qualified employer sponsored insurance either directly as an employee or indirectly through another individual who is eligible for qualified employer sponsored insurance, shall be required to participate in the HIPP program in order to receive medical assistance, if eligible and determined by the department to be cost effective as required by the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).

2 Department of Health and Human Services; Premium Assistance Program. Amend RSA 126-A:5, XXV(a) to read as follows:

XXV.(a) Consistent with the time frames in this paragraph, there is hereby established the marketplace premium assistance program. This will be a premium assistance program for newly eligible adults and their eligible spouse and dependents, if applicable, who are ineligible for the HIPP program established in RSA 126-A:5, XXIII [until December 31, 2016] and shall be administered by the department of health and human services. In order to receive medical assistance from the program, newly eligible adults who are ineligible for the HIPP program shall choose from any qualified health plans (QHPs) offered on the federally-facilitated exchange if cost effective; provided, however, that any newly eligible adult who had coverage under an alternative benefit plan (ABP) offered by a managed care organization (MCO) under paragraph XIX during the voluntary bridge to marketplace premium assistance program established under RSA 126-A:5, XXIV shall be automatically enrolled at the beginning of open enrollment in a comparable QHP by that same MCO if one is available, unless such newly eligible adult subsequently chooses a different QHP during the enrollment period. If a comparable QHP is not offered by the newly eligible adult’s MCO then the newly eligible adult may choose from any QHPs, if cost effective. Provider payments shall be in an amount which shall be no less than before the effective date of this paragraph.

3 Department of Health and Human Services; Premium Assistance Program. Amend RSA 126-A:5, XXV (c) to read as follows:

(c) If the waiver to implement the marketplace premium assistance program is approved on or before March 31, 2015 then, coverage under the voluntary bridge to marketplace premium assistance program established in RSA 126-A:5, XXIV shall terminate on December 31, 2015. Enrollment in the marketplace premium assistance program shall begin on October 15, 2015 and coverage shall begin on January 1, 2016. [Coverage shall end on December 31, 2016.] The cost of the medical assistance provided under the marketplace premium assistance program shall be paid solely from federal funds as provided under 42 U.S.C. section 1396d(y).

4 New Hampshire Health Protection Program. Amend 2014, 3:10, I to read as follows:

I. If at any time the federal match rate applied to medical assistance for newly eligible adults under RSA 126-A:5, XXIII-XXV [between July 1, 2014 – December 31, 2016] is less than [100 percent] the amount as set forth in 42 U.S.C. section 1396d(y)(1), then RSA 126-A:5, XXIII, XXIV, and XXV shall immediately be repealed upon notification by the commissioner of the department of health and human services to the secretary of state and the director of legislative services.

5 Repeal. RSA 2014, 3:12, I-VII, relative to the prospective repeal of the New Hampshire health protection plan, are repealed.

6 Effective Date. This act shall take effect upon its passage.

LBAO

15-0288

02/03/15

SB 185-FN - FISCAL NOTE

AN ACT extending the New Hampshire health protection program.

FISCAL IMPACT: