Three bills previously marked dead have returned to active status, and a fourth has advanced to the Senate — all four addressing different aspects of health insurance regulation in New Hampshire.
On the Move
All four bills that moved today deal with how health insurers handle patient care decisions.
HB 1406 (sponsor: Rep. Alicia Gregg, D) is the furthest along, having advanced to the Senate. It would require health insurance companies to keep records of their utilization review decisions — the internal process insurers use to approve or deny care — and sets specific rules around the use of artificial intelligence in that process.
HB 1638 (sponsor: Rep. David Nagel, R) is back to active status after being marked dead. It would create a bypass process for step therapy requirements — the insurance practice of requiring patients to try lower-cost medications before accessing the treatment their doctor initially recommended — when a doctor determines medical necessity.
HB 1347 (sponsor: Rep. Trinidad Tellez, D) also returned to active, though it has been sent to interim study rather than continuing through the normal legislative process. It addresses how insurers manage provider networks and referrals, potentially affecting patients’ ability to see specialists outside narrow network restrictions. Interim study means a committee will examine it further; the bill will not advance to a floor vote this session.
HB 1656 (sponsor: Rep. Paige Beauchemin, D) returned to active status as well. It would require insurance plans to cover pelvic health therapy, a form of physical therapy used to treat conditions including pelvic floor dysfunction, incontinence, and post-surgical recovery. Patients currently pay out of pocket for this care in many cases.
Three of the four bills — HB 1347, HB 1638, and HB 1656 — are listed as active but have not yet advanced to a chamber vote or been sent to the other body. Their next steps are not specified in today’s data.
All four bills affect anyone with private health insurance in New Hampshire, though the specific populations vary: HB 1638 primarily affects patients managing chronic or complex conditions, HB 1656 primarily affects patients needing pelvic rehabilitation, and HB 1406 and HB 1347 have broader implications for how all insured patients interact with their coverage.
Want to know how your legislators have voted on these bills? Find your state House and Senate representatives at nhpolitics.org/find-your-rep.