SB148: (3rd New Title) relative to health insurance coverage.

CHAPTER 266

SB 148-FN – FINAL VERSION

03/09/11 0456s

4May2011… 1431h

06/22/11 2403CofC

06/22/11 2523EBA

2011 SESSION

11-0258

01/10

SENATE BILL 148-FN

AN ACT relative to health insurance coverage.

SPONSORS: Sen. De Blois, Dist 18; Sen. Bradley, Dist 3; Sen. Barnes, Jr., Dist 17; Sen. Boutin, Dist 16; Sen. Bragdon, Dist 11; Sen. Carson, Dist 14; Sen. Forrester, Dist 2; Sen. Forsythe, Dist 4; Sen. Gallus, Dist 1; Sen. Groen, Dist 6; Sen. Lambert, Dist 13; Sen. Morse, Dist 22; Sen. Odell, Dist 8; Sen. Rausch, Dist 19; Sen. Sanborn, Dist 7; Sen. Stiles, Dist 24; Sen. White, Dist 9

COMMITTEE: Commerce

AMENDED ANALYSIS

This bill provides that a resident of New Hampshire shall not be required to obtain, or be assessed a fee or fine for failure to obtain, health insurance coverage.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

03/09/11 0456s

4May2011… 1431h

06/22/11 2403CofC

06/22/11 2523EBA

11-0258

01/10

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Eleven

AN ACT relative to health insurance coverage.

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

266:1 New Section; Insurance Department; Health Insurance Coverage. Amend RSA 400-A by inserting after section 14 the following new section:

400-A:14-a Health Insurance Coverage. No resident of this state, regardless of whether he or she has or is eligible for health insurance coverage under any policy or program provided by or through his or her employer, or a plan sponsored by the state or the federal government, shall be required to obtain or maintain a policy of individual insurance coverage except as required by a court or the department of health and human services where an individual is named a party in a judicial or administrative proceeding. No provision of this title shall render a resident of this state liable for any penalty, assessment, fee, or fine as a result of his or her failure to procure or obtain health insurance coverage. This section shall not apply to individuals voluntarily applying for coverage under a state-administered program pursuant to Title XIX or Title XXI of the Social Security Act. This section shall not apply to students being required by an institution of higher education to obtain and maintain health insurance as a condition of enrollment. Nothing in this section shall impair the rights of persons to privately contract for health insurance for family members or former family members.

266:2 Effective Date. This act shall take effect July 1, 2011.

Approved: Enacted in accordance with Article 44, Part II, of N.H. Constitution, without the signature of the governor, July 14, 2011.

Effective Date: July 1, 2011