Bill Text: NH SB401 | 2022 | Regular Session | Amended
Bill Title: Making appropriations to the department of transportation for local highway aid and to the body-worn and dashboard camera fund, and permitting the department of transportation to operate dash cameras in fleet vehicles.
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Enrolled - Dead) 2022-06-27 - Enrolled (in recess of) 05/26/2022 House Journal 14 [SB401 Detail]
Download: New_Hampshire-2022-SB401-Amended.html
SB 401-FN - AS AMENDED BY THE SENATE
03/17/2022 1062s
2022 SESSION
22-2934
05/10
SENATE BILL 401-FN
SPONSORS: Sen. Bradley, Dist 3; Sen. Hennessey, Dist 1; Sen. Watters, Dist 4; Sen. Rosenwald, Dist 13; Sen. Sherman, Dist 24; Sen. Carson, Dist 14; Sen. Gray, Dist 6; Sen. Whitley, Dist 15; Sen. D'Allesandro, Dist 20; Sen. Perkins Kwoka, Dist 21; Sen. Ricciardi, Dist 9; Sen. Prentiss, Dist 5; Sen. Avard, Dist 12; Sen. Gannon, Dist 23; Sen. Cavanaugh, Dist 16; Sen. Kahn, Dist 10; Sen. Soucy, Dist 18; Rep. Umberger, Carr. 2; Rep. Wallner, Merr. 10; Rep. Tucker, Coos 5
COMMITTEE: Health and Human Services
-----------------------------------------------------------------
AMENDED ANALYSIS
This bill: increases the Medicaid reimbursement rate for hospital birthing services; directs the commissioner of business and economic affairs to secure funding for an impact study of birthing service closures on rural communities; and establishes a commission to study the actions necessary for preserving access to labor and delivery services in rural New Hampshire communities.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
03/17/2022 1062s 22-2934
05/10
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty Two
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 Department of Health and Human Services; Medicaid Reimbursement Rates for Hospital Birthing Services.
I. In order to ensure adequate access to labor services for women in New Hampshire, the department of health and human services shall increase the Medicaid reimbursement rate for facility-based birthing services provided at hospitals by 25 percent, in the aggregate, based on the rate in effect as of June 30, 2022.
II. The commissioner of health and human services shall have the discretion to implement the reimbursement increase to adjust for access risk geographically; provided that no critical access hospital or non-critical access hospital receives less than a 20 percent increase.
2 Department of Business and Economic Affairs; Funding for Impact Study of Birthing Service Closures. The commissioner of business and economic affairs shall attempt to obtain funding to finance a study of the impact of birthing service closures on rural New Hampshire communities’ economic and social-welfare. The study shall be targeted to be completed by January 1, 2023.
3 New Subdivision; Commission to Study Actions Necessary for Preserving Access to Labor and Delivery Services in Rural New Hampshire Communities. Amend RSA 132 by inserting after section 41 the following new subdivision:
Commission to Study Actions Necessary for
Preserving Access to Labor and Delivery Services in Rural New Hampshire Communities
132:42 Commission to Study Actions Necessary for Preserving Access to Labor and Delivery Services in Rural New Hampshire Communities.
I. There is hereby established a commission to study the actions necessary for preserving access to labor and delivery services in rural New Hampshire communities.
(a) The members of the commission shall be as follows:
(1) Two members of the senate, appointed by the president of the senate, one of whom shall be a member of the minority party.
(2) Three members of the house of representatives, appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives, one of whom shall be a member of the minority party.
(3) The commissioner of the department of health and human services, or designee.
(4) The insurance commissioner, or designee.
(5) The commissioner of business and economic affairs, or designee.
(6) A representative of a managed care organization awarded a contract as a vendor under the Medicaid managed care program, nominated by the Medicaid Managed Care Organizations operating in New Hampshire and appointed by the governor.
(7) A representative of private health insurers, appointed by the governor.
(8) A licensed physician, with expertise in obstetrics and gynecology, appointed by the New Hampshire Medical Society.
(9) A licensed physician, with expertise in newborn pediatrics, appointed by the New Hampshire Medical Society.
(10) A representative from a critical access hospital offering labor and delivery services operating in New Hampshire and a representative from a non-critical access hospital offering labor and delivery services operating in New Hampshire, each appointed by the New Hampshire Hospital Association.
(11) An advanced practiced registered nurse (APRN), with expertise in obstetrics and gynecology, appointed by the New Hampshire Nurse Practitioner Association.
(12) A certified midwife (CM) appointed by the New Hampshire Midwives Association.
(13) A representative of New Futures, appointed by the governor.
(14) A representative of the University of New Hampshire Franklin Pierce School of Law, Institute for Health Policy and Practice, appointed by the governor.
(15) A town official from a rural New Hampshire community, appointed by the New Hampshire Municipal Association.
II.(a) The commission’s duties shall include, but not necessarily be limited to the following:
(1) Studying demographics of rural New Hampshire communities and trends in birth rates.
(2) Studying the current financial status of hospitals serving rural communities in New Hampshire.
(3) Reviewing and evaluating the existing supply of providers of labor and delivery services and determining methods to recruit and encourage more providers to offer labor and delivery services.
(4) Reviewing and evaluating the cost of delivery and newborn care and methods of payment.
(5) Reviewing and evaluating current rates or reimbursement for labor and delivery services for both private insurance and medicaid and the impact these rates may have on offering labor and delivery services.
(6) Reviewing and evaluating challenges related to recruitment and retention of individuals employed in positions related to labor and delivery and evaluating incentives to encourage individuals to pursue and retain careers in labor and delivery services.
(7) Studying socio-economic conditions or other variables that might interfere with women obtaining convenient and high quality labor and delivery services in rural locations.
(8) Reviewing social and financial factors that might contribute to the discontinuation of birthing services at rural hospitals.
(9) Studying the socio-economic impact that the discontinuation of labor and delivery services may have on surrounding communities including, but no limited to, effects on surrounding communities’ families, workforce, local governments and public services.
(10) Studying the socio-economic impact of the discontinuation of labor and delivery services on unplanned births.
(11) Reviewing and evaluating medicaid regulations and policies for impact on labor and delivery services.
(12) Reviewing and evaluating insurance regulations and policies for impact on labor and delivery services.
(13) Reviewing and evaluating federal regulations and policies for impact on labor and delivery services.
(14) Reviewing and evaluating the scope of practice for medical professions.
(15) Reviewing and evaluating alternative methods of delivering care with respect to labor and delivery services.
(b) The commission shall solicit information from any person or entity the commission deems relevant to its study.
III. The members of the commission shall elect a chairperson from among the members. The first meeting of the commission shall be called by the first-named senate member. The first meeting of the commission shall be held within 45 days of the effective date of this section. A majority of the members of the commission shall constitute a quorum.
IV. Members of the commission shall serve without compensation, except that legislative members of the commission shall receive mileage at the legislative rate when attending to the duties of the commission.
V. The commission shall make an interim report, on or before July 1, 2024 together with its findings and any recommendations for proposed legislation, to the president of the senate, the speaker of the house of representatives, the senate clerk, the house clerk, the governor, and the state library. The commission shall submit its final report on or before January 1, 2025.
4 Repeal. RSA 132:42 and the subdivision heading preceding RSA 132:42, relative to the commission to study the actions necessary for preserving access to labor and delivery services in rural New Hampshire communities, are repealed.
I. Section 4 of this act shall take effect January 1, 2025.
II. The remainder of this act shall take effect July 1, 2022.
22-2934
12/21/21
SB 401-FN- FISCAL NOTE
AS INTRODUCED
AN ACT relative to Medicaid reimbursement rates for hospital birthing services.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The Office of Legislative Budget Assistant is unable to provide a fiscal note for this bill, as introduced, at this time. The Department of Health and Human Services was contacted for a fiscal note worksheet initially on 11/22/2021 and again on 12/21/2021. When completed, the fiscal note will be forwarded to the Senate Clerk's Office.
AGENCIES CONTACTED:
Department of Health and Human Services
