2003 SESSION

03-0752

01/09

HOUSE BILL 472

COMMITTEE: Commerce

ANALYSIS

This bill prohibits health insurance companies from using certain misleading terminology.

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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

03-0752

01/09

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Three

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

1 New Section; Insurers; Misleading Terminology Prohibited. Amend RSA 400-A by inserting after section 15-a the following new section:

400-A:15-b Misleading Terminology Prohibited.

I. Health insurers which currently use the term "managed care" shall be prohibited from using the term "care" in the description of their own services. Other insurance terms such as "coverage" are acceptable.

II. The term, "care" shall be reserved for those who actually provide direct service to the patients, with the rights and responsibilities of those practices.

III. The provisions of this section shall apply to group hospital and medical expense policies subject to RSA 415, group health service plan contracts issued pursuant to RSA 420-A, and health maintenance organization policies and plans issued pursuant to RSA 420-B.

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