HB1464: relative to insurance coverage for yoga therapy as an alternative or substitute for opioids.

HB 1464-FN - AS INTRODUCED

2020 SESSION

20-2482

01/10

HOUSE BILL 1464-FN

AN ACT relative to insurance coverage for yoga therapy as an alternative or substitute for opioids.

SPONSORS: Rep. Mangipudi, Hills. 35; Rep. Cushing, Rock. 21; Rep. Massimilla, Graf. 1

COMMITTEE: Commerce and Consumer Affairs

ANALYSIS

This bill requires insurance coverage for yoga therapy as an alternative to opioids.

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

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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

20-2482

01/10

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty

AN ACT relative to insurance coverage for yoga therapy as an alternative or substitute for opioids.

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

1 New Section; Accident and Health Insurance; Coverage for Yoga Therapy; Individual. Amend RSA 415 by inserting after section 6-x the following new section:

415:6-y Coverage for Yoga Therapy. Each insurer that issues or renews any individual policy of accident or health insurance providing benefits for medical or hospital expenses, shall provide to certificate holders of such insurance, who are residents of this state, coverage for yoga therapy as an alternative to opioids. Benefits provided under this section shall not be subject to any greater co-payment, deductible, or coinsurance than any other similar benefits provided by the insurer.

2 New Section; Accident and Health Insurance; Coverage for Yoga Therapy; Group. Amend RSA 415 by inserting after section 18-bb the following new section:

415:18-cc Coverage for Yoga Therapy. Each insurer that issues or renews any policy of group or blanket accident or health insurance providing benefits for medical or hospital expenses, shall provide to certificate holders of such insurance, who are residents of this state, coverage for yoga therapy as an alternative to opioids. Benefits provided under this section shall not be subject to any greater co-payment, deductible, or coinsurance than any other similar benefits provided by the insurer.

3 Health Services Corporations; Applicable Statutes. Amend RSA 420-A:2 to read as follows:

420-A:2 Applicable Statutes. Every health service corporation shall be governed by this chapter and the relevant provisions of RSA 161-H, and shall be exempt from this title except for the provisions of RSA 400-A:39, RSA 401-B, RSA 402-C, RSA 404-F, RSA 415-A, RSA 415-F, RSA 415:6, II(4), RSA 415:6-g, RSA 415:6-k, RSA 415:6-m, RSA 415:6-o, RSA 415:6-r, RSA 415:6-t, RSA 415:6-u, RSA 415:6-v, RSA 415:6-w, RSA 415:6-x, RSA 415:6-y, RSA 415:18, V, RSA 415:18, XVI and XVII, RSA 415:18, VII-a, RSA 415:18-a, RSA 415:18-i, RSA 415:18-j, RSA 415:18-o, RSA 415:18-r, RSA 415:18-t, RSA 415:18-u, RSA 415:18-v, RSA 415:18-w, RSA 415:18-y, RSA 415:18-z, RSA 415:18-aa, RSA 415:18-bb, RSA 415:18-cc, RSA 415:22, RSA 417, RSA 417-E, RSA 420-J, and all applicable provisions of title XXXVII wherein such corporations are specifically included. Every health service corporation and its agents shall be subject to the fees prescribed for health service corporations under RSA 400-A:29, VII.

4 Health Services Corporations; Applicable Statutes; Effective January 2021. Amend RSA 420-A:2 to read as follows:

420-A:2 Applicable Statutes. Every health service corporation shall be governed by this chapter and the relevant provisions of RSA 161-H, and shall be exempt from this title except for the provisions of RSA 400-A:39, RSA 401-B, RSA 402-C, RSA 404-F, RSA 415-A, RSA 415-F, RSA 415:6, II(4), RSA 415:6-g, RSA 415:6-k, RSA 415:6-m, RSA 415:6-o, RSA 415:6-r, RSA 415:6-u, RSA 415:6-v, RSA 415:6-w, RSA 415:6-x, RSA 415:6-y, RSA 415:18, V, RSA 415:18, XVI and XVII, RSA 415:18, VII-a, RSA 415:18-a, RSA 415:18-i, RSA 415:18-j, RSA 415:18-o, RSA 415:18-r, RSA 415:18-t, RSA 415:18-u, RSA 415:18-v, RSA 415:18-w, RSA 415:18-z, RSA 415:18-aa, RSA 415:18-bb, RSA 415:18-cc, RSA 415:22, RSA 417, RSA 417-E, RSA 420-J, and all applicable provisions of title XXXVII wherein such corporations are specifically included. Every health service corporation and its agents shall be subject to the fees prescribed for health service corporations under RSA 400-A:29, VII.

5 Health Maintenance Organizations; Statutory Construction. Amend RSA 420-B:20, III to read as follows:

III. The requirements of RSA 400-A:39, RSA 401-B, RSA 402-C, RSA 404-F, RSA 415:6-g, RSA 415:6-m, RSA 415:6-o, RSA 415:6-r, RSA 415:6-t, RSA 415:6-u, RSA 415:6-v, RSA 415:6-w, RSA 415:6-x, RSA 415:6-y, RSA 415:18, VII-a, RSA 415:18, XVI and XVII, RSA 415:18-i, RSA 415:18-j, RSA 415:18-r, RSA 415:18-t, RSA 415:18-u, RSA 415:18-v, RSA 415:18-w, RSA 415:18-y, RSA 415:18-z, RSA 415:18-aa, RSA 415:18-bb, RSA 415:18-cc, RSA 415-A, RSA 415-F, RSA 420-G, and RSA 420-J shall apply to health maintenance organizations.

6 Health Maintenance Organizations; Statutory Construction; Effective January 1, 2021. Amend RSA 420-B:20, III to read as follows:

III. The requirements of RSA 400-A:39, RSA 401-B, RSA 402-C, RSA 404-F, RSA 415:6-g, RSA 415:6-m, RSA 415:6-o, RSA 415:6-r, RSA 415:6-u, RSA 415:6-v, RSA 415:6-w, RSA 415:6-x, RSA 415:6-y, RSA 415:18, VII-a, RSA 415:18, XVI and XVII, RSA 415:18-i, RSA 415:18-j, RSA 415:18-r, RSA 415:18-t, RSA 415:18-u, RSA 415:18-v, RSA 415:18-w, RSA 415:18-z, RSA 415:18-aa, RSA 415:18-bb, RSA 415:18-cc, RSA 415-A, RSA 415-F, RSA 420-G, and RSA 420-J shall apply to health maintenance organizations.

7 Effective Date.

I. Sections 4 and 6 shall take effect January 1, 2021 at 12:03 p.m.

II. The remainder of this act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.

LBAO

20-2482

11/12/19

HB 1464-FN- FISCAL NOTE

AS INTRODUCED

AN ACT relative to insurance coverage for yoga therapy as an alternative or substitute for opioids.

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

Estimated Increase / (Decrease)

STATE:

FY 2020

FY 2021

FY 2022

FY 2023

Appropriation

$0

$0

$0

$0

Revenue

$0

Indeterminable Increase

Indeterminable Increase

Indeterminable Increase

Expenditures

$0

Indeterminable Increase

Indeterminable Increase

Indeterminable Increase

Funding Source:

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

COUNTY:

Revenue

$0

$0

$0

$0

Expenditures

$0

Indeterminable Increase

Indeterminable Increase

Indeterminable Increase

LOCAL:

Revenue

$0

$0

$0

$0

Expenditures

$0

Indeterminable Increase

Indeterminable Increase

Indeterminable Increase

METHODOLOGY:

This bill requires insurance coverage for yoga therapy as an alternative or substitute for opioids.

The Insurance Department indicates that, under federal law, the cost for such mandated coverage for policies issued through the Exchange would have to be borne by the State. Such coverage may impact claim costs, which may impact premiums and premium tax revenue.

The Department of Health and Human Services indicates the cost to the Medicaid program is indeterminable because cost of therapy and the frequency of its use as an alternative to opioids are not known. Yoga instructors are not qualified medical treatment providers in the Medicaid program. To the extent this benefit is applied to the Medicaid program, the cost would not be eligible for federal Medicaid reimbursement and would be funded entirely with State general funds.

The Department of Administrative Services indicates the State Health Benefit Plan for employees and retirees is a governmental self-insured plan and not governed by managed care law.

AGENCIES CONTACTED:

Departments of Insurance, Health and Human Services and Administrative Services