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Committee hears mixed views on extending group plan coverage to naturopathic doctors
Summary
SB550 would change group-plan language to require coverage of naturopathic providers when services are covered; doctors and patients urged passage to reduce inconsistent access, while carriers noted they already cover some services and warned of drafting and implementation nuances.
Concord — Testimony on SB550 focused on a change to state group-insurance language that would require group plans to cover licensed naturopathic providers for covered services.
Senator David Rochefort, sponsor, described the bill as a narrow change converting permissive language into a requirement for group plans and called it a ‘‘soft mandate’’ limited to provider coverage rather than specific services. He said only a small number of naturopathic doctors currently accept insurance and that the change would reduce administrative confusion for patients.
Michelle He of the Insurance Department confirmed the bill applies to group health plans and not to self-funded, state, Medicare or Medicaid plans. She said the department expects minimal or indeterminable fiscal impact because the change does not itself add covered services.
Supporters included licensed naturopathic physicians and patients with long histories of chronic illness who described benefit from those providers. Nancy Cassidy said, “For years, I wanted to see a naturopath doctor, but being on New Hampshire Medicaid, it didn't allow me to.” Physicians contended that broader, coherent coverage would reduce administrative friction and increase access to preventive and lifestyle-based care.
Carrier representatives said several large carriers already cover naturopathic services under some individual or group plans and that Anthem and others currently manage coverage in different ways; Anthem’s testimony noted it was neutral because it already covers naturopathic services under some plans. Insurers urged careful drafting to avoid unintended consequences and asked for clarity about which services would be included.
The hearing closed with a mix of supportive patient testimony and carriers signaling willingness to continue discussions to resolve operational questions; no committee vote was recorded in the transcript.
