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HB 507-FN - AS AMENDED BY THE HOUSE

 

26Mar2025... 0993h

2025 SESSION

25-0575

05/02

 

HOUSE BILL 507-FN

 

AN ACT relative to the timeline for credentialing of mental health care providers.

 

SPONSORS: Rep. Gregg, Hills. 7; Rep. Grossman, Rock. 11; Rep. Kuttab, Rock. 17

 

COMMITTEE: Commerce and Consumer Affairs

 

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AMENDED ANALYSIS

 

This bill requires health carriers to process credentialing applications by mental health providers within 30 days of submission of a complete application.

 

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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

26Mar2025... 0993h 25-0575

05/02

 

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

 

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty Five

 

AN ACT relative to the timeline for credentialing of mental health care providers.

 

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

 

1  Managed Care Law; Credentialing Verification Procedures; Mental Health Care Providers.  Amend RSA 420-J:4, I(h) to read as follows:

(h)  Act upon and finalize the credentialing process within 30 calendar days of receipt of a clean and complete application for primary care physicians and mental health providers and within 45 days [for specialists] of receipt of a clean and complete application for specialists.  In this section, "clean and complete" means an application signed and appropriately dated by the health care provider, that includes all of the applicable information required in paragraph II and any affirmative responses on questions related to quality and clinical competence shall contain explanations satisfactory to the carrier.

2  Effective Date.  This act shall take effect January 1, 2026.

 

LBA

25-0575

3/31/25

 

HB 507-FN- FISCAL NOTE

AS AMENDED BY THE HOUSE (AMENDMENT #2025-0993h)

 

AN ACT relative to the timeline for credentialing of mental health care providers.

 

FISCAL IMPACT:   This bill does not provide funding.

 

 

Estimated State Impact

 

FY 2025

FY 2026

FY 2027

FY 2028

Revenue

$0

$0

Indeterminable Increase

Indeterminable Increase

Revenue Fund(s)

General Fund

Expenditures*

$0

$0

$0

$0

Funding Source(s)

General Fund

Appropriations*

$0

$0

$0

$0

Funding Source(s)

None

*Expenditure = Cost of bill                *Appropriation = Authorized funding to cover cost of bill

 

Estimated Political Subdivision Impact

 

FY 2025

FY 2026

FY 2027

FY 2028

County Revenue

$0

$0

$0

$0

County Expenditures

$0

Indeterminable

Indeterminable

Indeterminable

Local Revenue

$0

$0

$0

$0

Local Expenditures

$0

Indeterminable

Indeterminable

Indeterminable

 

METHODOLOGY:

This bill requires health carriers to process credentialing applications by mental health providers within 30 days of submission of a complete application.  The bill also requires a health carrier to cover treatments as in-network retroactively from the date of credentialing package submission by a health care provider.

 

The Insurance Department states expanding mental health coverage could increase claims costs and administrative expenses, potentially raising insurance premiums and having an indeterminable impact on Insurance Premium Tax revenue.

 

Additionally, health insurers may face additional costs for staffing and system upgrades to comply with new requirements.  While improved mental health access could reduce long-term healthcare costs and attract more providers to networks, the overall financial impact on local and county governments that purchase health insurance is indeterminable.

 

 

AGENCIES CONTACTED:

Insurance Department