SB550: relative to drop in or walk in clinics.

SB 550-FN - AS INTRODUCED

2018 SESSION

18-2950

01/10

SENATE BILL 550-FN

AN ACT relative to drop in or walk in clinics.

SPONSORS: Sen. Sanborn, Dist 9; Sen. Avard, Dist 12; Sen. French, Dist 7; Sen. Innis, Dist 24; Sen. Reagan, Dist 17; Rep. Danielson, Hills. 7; Rep. M. MacKay, Hills. 30

COMMITTEE: Health and Human Services

ANALYSIS

This bill exempts certain drop-in or walk-in care centers from licensure under RSA 151.

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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

18-2950

01/10

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Eighteen

AN ACT relative to drop in or walk in clinics.

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

1 Health Facilities Licensure; Drop-In or Walk-In Care Centers. Amend RSA 151:2, I(d) to read as follows:

(d) Facilities or portions of a facility operating as an outpatient rehabilitation clinic, ambulatory surgical center, hospice, emergency medical care center, drop-in or walk-in care center which provide radiological services, dialysis center, birthing center, or other entity where health care associated with illness, injury, deformity, infirmity, or other physical disability is provided, whether operated for profit or for free or at a reduced cost, however named, and whether owned by a hospital or hospital holding corporation or operated as part of a hospital's services.

2 Health Facility Licensure; Exemptions. Amend RSA 151:2, II(i) to read as follows:

(i) Non-emergency walk-in care centers. For the purposes of this subparagraph, "non-emergency walk-in centers" mean medical facilities which provide patients medical care which is not of an emergency life-threatening nature, without making an appointment and without the intention of establishing an ongoing care relationship with the licensed practitioner, and which does not provide radiological services.

(j) Any other facility exempted by rules adopted under this chapter.

3 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.

LBAO

18-2950

12/29/17

SB 550-FN- FISCAL NOTE

AS INTRODUCED

AN ACT relative to drop in or walk in clinics.

FISCAL IMPACT: [ X ] State [ ] County [ ] Local [ ] None

Estimated Increase / (Decrease)

STATE:

FY 2019

FY 2020

FY 2021

FY 2022

Appropriation

$0

$0

$0

$0

Revenue

Indeterminable Decrease

Indeterminable Decrease

Indeterminable Decrease

Indeterminable Decrease

Expenditures

Indeterminable Decrease

Indeterminable Decrease

Indeterminable Decrease

Indeterminable Decrease

Funding Source:

[ X ] General [ ] Education [ ] Highway [ ] Other

METHODOLOGY:

The bill modifies the existing reference to "drop-in or walk-in care centers" in RSA 151:2, I(d) such that only those centers providing radiological services will continue to require licensure as a health facility. A "non-emergency walk-in care center" (NEWCC) is currently defined and subject to licensure pursuant to administrative rule (He-P 806). This bill also adds a new statutory definition to RSA 151 for NEWCC's and exempts those that do not provide radiological services from licensing requirements.

The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) does not have information as to the exact number, but estimates a majority, if not all of the 54 currently licensed facilities perform radiological services. Therefore, these entities will continue to be licensed and only those facilities that do not provide radiological services will be exempt from licensure. This could have an indeterminable impact on state revenue and expenses as a small but indeterminable number of facilities, which no longer require licensure, would be exempt from the annual $500 licensing fee and DHHS would realize savings from staff time no longer dedicated to inspecting facilities or processing licenses for these entities. DHHS reports each facility is inspected once a year for approximately 3-4 hours.

The Office of Professional Licensure and Certification states the types of facilities identified in this bill are not currently licensed by the boards administratively supported by the Office, therefore this bill has no fiscal impact on the Office.

AGENCIES CONTACTED:

Department of Health and Human Services and Office of Professional Licensure and Certification