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Committee hears bill to codify newborn coverage under parents’ insurance; insurance department and carriers discuss details
Summary
Senate Bill 47 would clarify RSA 415:22 to ensure newborns are covered from birth through 31 days under a parent’s policy without separate premium or additional cost-sharing. Insurance Department testimony indicates the bill codifies long-standing guidance; carriers and advocates discussed implementation details and effective date.
Senator Regina Bart, prime sponsor of Senate Bill 47, asked the committee to consider language that would put current Insurance Department guidance into statute and preserve automatic coverage for newborns for the first 31 days of life under a parent’s insurance policy.
Michelle Heaton, director of life and health at the New Hampshire Insurance Department, told the committee the proposed text is intended to codify longstanding practice. “It is an insurance mandate that requires insurance carriers to provide coverage to newborn children from the moment of birth through the first 31 days of life,” Heaton said, and she added the clarification is intended to avoid additional cost-sharing or separate premium charges during that initial period.
Why it matters: The statute --…
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