SB 0065

SB 65 - AS INTRODUCED

AN ACT allowing licensed alcohol and drug counselors to obtain third party payment and establishing a committee to study levels of licensure of alcohol and drug counselors.

SPONSORS: Sen. Wheeler, Dist 21; Rep. Taylor, Straf 11

This bill allows alcohol and drug counselors to obtain third party payments for services rendered which would otherwise qualify for such payments.

This bill also establishes a committee to study levels of licensure of alcohol and drug counselors.

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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

AN ACT allowing licensed alcohol and drug counselors to obtain third party payment and establishing a committee to study levels of licensure of alcohol and drug counselors.

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

1 Accident and Health Insurance; Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselors. Amend RSA 415:18-a, I to read as follows:

I. 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 each group, or to the portion of each group comprised of certificate holders of such insurance who are residents of this state and whose principal place of employment is in this state, coverage for expenses arising from the treatment of mental illnesses and emotional disorders which, in the professional judgment of psychiatrists, licensed psychologists, licensed pastoral psychotherapists, psychiatric/mental health advanced registered nurse practitioners, licensed clinical mental health counselors, licensed marriage and family therapists, licensed alcohol and drug counselors, and licensed clinical social workers, are subject to significant improvement through short-term therapy, and benefits for expenses arising from diagnosis and evaluation of all other mental illnesses and emotional disorders. Such benefits shall be at least as favorable to the certificate holder as the minimum benefits specified in paragraphs II, III and IV.

2 Accident and Health Insurance; Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselors. Amend RSA 415:18-a, III(a) to read as follows:

(a) Benefits for services of a psychiatrist, licensed psychologist, licensed pastoral psychotherapist, psychiatric/mental health advanced registered nurse practitioner, licensed clinical mental health counselors, licensed marriage and family therapist, licensed alcohol and drug counselors, or licensed clinical social worker who customarily bills patients directly shall be subject to terms and conditions at least as favorable as those which apply to the benefits for the services of physicians for other illnesses, and the ratio of the benefits to the fees reasonably and customarily charged for the services of such psychiatrists, licensed psychologists, licensed pastoral psychotherapists, psychiatric/mental health advanced registered nurse practitioners, licensed clinical mental health counselors, licensed marriage and family therapists, or licensed clinical social workers shall be substantially the same as the ratio of the benefits for services of physicians for other illnesses to the fees reasonably and customarily charged for the services of such physicians for other illnesses.

3 Accident and Health Insurance; Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselors. Amend RSA 415:18-a, IV to read as follows:

IV. In the case of policies or certificates providing benefits for hospital and medical expenses on a major medical basis, benefits shall be subject to deductibles and coinsurance at least as favorable as those which apply to the benefits for any other illness, provided that benefits payable for expenses incurred in any consecutive 12-month period may be limited to an amount not less than $3,000 per covered individual, and to a lifetime maximum of not less than $10,000 per covered individual. In this paragraph, covered major medical expenses include the reasonable charges for services and treatment on an inpatient, outpatient or partial hospitalization basis by a psychiatrist, a licensed psychologist, a licensed pastoral psychotherapist, a psychiatric/mental health advanced registered nurse practitioner, a licensed clinical mental health counselor, a licensed marriage and family therapist, a licensed alcohol and drug counselor, a licensed clinical social worker, a licensed general hospital, a public or licensed mental hospital, or a community mental health center or psychiatric residential program approved according to rules adopted by the commissioner of the department of health and human services.

4 New Subparagraph; Definitions; Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor. Amend RSA 415:18-a, V by inserting after subparagraph (g) the following new subparagraph:

(h) "Licensed alcohol and drug counselor" means an individual who is licensed as an alcohol and drug counselor under RSA 330-C.

5 Committee Established. There is established a committee to study the levels of licensure of alcohol and drug counselors under RSA 330-C.

(b) Three members of the house of representatives, appointed by the speaker of the house.

II. Members of the committee shall receive mileage at the legislative rate when attending to the duties of the committee.

7 Duties. The committee shall study the levels of licensure of alcohol and drug counselors under RSA 330-C.

8 Chairperson; Quorum. The members of the study committee shall elect a chairperson from among the members. The first meeting of the committee shall be called by the first-named senate member. The first meeting of the committee shall be held within 45 days of the effective date of this section. Four members of the committee shall constitute a quorum.

9 Report. The committee shall report its findings and any recommendations for proposed legislation to the senate president, the speaker of the house of representatives, the senate clerk, the house clerk, the governor, and the state library on or before November 1, 2001.