Sandra Plourde

Testimony in Support of SB 550 Dear Members of the House Commerce and Consumer Affairs Committee, My name is Sandra Plourde, a resident of New Hampshire. I support SB 550 because it would improve patient access to licensed naturopathic doctors by requiring group insurance policies to cover their services. Our family has personally experienced the benefits of having alternative and integrative care covered under insurance. Years ago, we worked with a naturopathic doctor who helped us rethink healthcare through diet and lifestyle changes. We later saw a functional medicine MD who accepted insurance, allowing full coverage for visits and necessary lab testing. This data-driven, non-pharmaceutical approach was extremely helpful during a critical time. Life-saving. Unfortunately, that provider later stopped accepting insurance, and we found it much harder to continue accessing similar care. We’ve been in the system where coverage made integrative options affordable and practical, and we would very much like to be able to get back into it. The New Hampshire Association of Naturopathic Doctors strongly supports this bill and estimates that expanding coverage could save insurance companies money without increasing premiums (https://nhand.org/legislation/). SB 550 would remove an unnecessary barrier for many New Hampshire families with group or employer-sponsored insurance, expanding real choice for patients who want access to naturopathic care. I understand concerns about mandates and costs, but from direct experience, having insurance coverage available for these services can make a meaningful difference in accessing personalized, preventive care. Thank you for your time and consideration. Sandra Plourde Keene, NH