New Hampshire SB 476: establishing a committee to study reinstituting the unemployed parent program.

Bill Text

SB 476 - AS AMENDED BY THE SENATE

03/26/2026 1236s

2026 SESSION

 26-2035

 05/08

SENATE BILL 476

AN ACT relative to consumer health care cost transparency.

SPONSORS: Sen. McGough, Dist 11; Sen. Gannon, Dist 23; Sen. Rosenwald, Dist 13; Sen. Birdsell, Dist 19; Sen. Innis, Dist 7; Sen. Pearl, Dist 17; Rep. Miles, Hills. 12; Rep. W. MacDonald, Rock. 16; Rep. Ammon, Hills. 42; Rep. Kuttab, Rock. 17

COMMITTEE: Health and Human Services

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AMENDED ANALYSIS

This bill creates new requirements for the insurance department to give consumers access to health care price-transparency tools and billing information.

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 Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

03/26/2026 1236s 26-2035

 05/08

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty-Six

AN ACT relative to consumer health care cost transparency.

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

 1 Health Statistics; Health Care Data; Availability Of Data. Amend RSA 126:28, III to read as follows: 

 III. To [the insurance department,] the department of justice[,] or any other state or federal agency, and any agency's contractors, for review of health care matters within the agency's respective jurisdictional authority. An agency or contractor receiving health care data under this section shall comply with all state and federal confidentiality, privacy, and security protections. 

 IV. To the insurance department to ensure appropriate state regulation of insurance and health plans and to advance the insurance department's reporting on health care delivery or costs. The insurance department shall be provided with the complete data set. The insurance department shall only disclose the data in a manner consistent with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) and 45 C.F.R. parts 160, 162, and 164. 

 2 Portability, Availability, And Renewability Of Health Coverage; Requested Information. Amend RSA 420-G:14-a to read as follows: 

 420-G:14-a Requested Information. 

 I. [As authorized in accordance with RSA 420-G:14, the] The commissioner may request the submission of such information by carriers as is necessary to better understand the coverage history and choices of participants in the nongroup market, health costs, cost drivers, health care financing and delivery system. The commissioner shall make every attempt to ensure the reasonableness of such request, both in terms of scope and timeframe, and to limit this request to information the commissioner deems necessary to better understand the dynamics of the [nongroup] health insurance market [and to assess the appropriateness of alternative sources of funding for the nongroup subsidy]. 

 II. The commissioner shall request and health carriers shall supply information and data [no later than June 30 of] each year sufficient to report on the [small employer] health insurance market and the types of health coverage being purchased by individuals and employers by geographic area. Such information shall be reported for the market as a whole and by market segment. At the commissioner's discretion, such information may include, but not be limited to, information relating to premium rates and rating practices, prescription drug rebates, the number of groups and individuals insured, availability of coverage and benefit plans, trend, loss ratios, administration costs, and profitability. [The commissioner shall file a report of the information by December 31 of each year with the president of the senate, the speaker of the house of representatives, the chairperson of the house commerce committee, and the chairperson of the senate banks and insurance committee.] The commissioner shall limit requests to the most essential data reasonably necessary to evaluate insurance market dynamics, health care cost drivers, and premium trends. 

 III. [The commissioner shall request and health carriers shall supply information no later than June 30 of each year sufficient to report on the types of health coverage being purchased by individuals and employers by geographic area. The report shall include specific details regarding the type of coverage, including, but not limited to, co-pays, out-of-pocket maximums, network restrictions, and deductibles.] The commissioner shall prescribe the format, time, and procedure for submitting data. Any forms, templates, or guidance regarding the submission required by the section shall be exempt from the requirements of RSA 541-A. 

 IV. [The commissioner shall file the required reports by December 31 of each ye