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Naturopathic doctors lobby to require group plans to cover their services
Summary
Supporters of SB550 told the committee that changing one word in statute — from 'may' to 'shall' — would expand group plan credentialing of licensed naturopathic doctors and reduce administrative barriers that currently prevent many patients with employer coverage from using ND services.
Senate Bill 550 would convert an existing permissive rule for group plans into a mandate that group insurance carriers credential and cover licensed naturopathic doctors (NDs) the same way other primary‑care provider types are included. Supporters — including the New Hampshire Association of Naturopathic Doctors and practicing NDs — argued that the change would close a gap that leaves many patients with employer‑sponsored (group) insurance unable to use naturopathic care without an employer rider or plan design change.
Dr. Michelle Half, president of the NH Association of Naturopathic Doctors, told the committee that coverage already exists in many individual plans and in some group plans, but is inconsistent. The association and several clinicians said the administrative burden (claim denials, phone verification failures, and plan heterogeneity) meant some patients pay out of pocket or forgo care. Providers argued that NDs commonly provide primary‑care roles (preventive and chronic care management) and are paid by insurers at mid‑level practitioner rates, potentially lowering total expenditures by emphasizing preventive approaches.
Insurers signaled caution. Questions raised at the hearing included how NDs’ scopes of practice align with existing benefit definitions, network adequacy implications, and whether credentialing standards and billing codes are sufficiently uniform for large carriers to incorporate NDs consistently. Dr. Michelle Half and practice leaders said many NDs already bill using standard CPT/E&M office visit codes used by MDs and APRNs and that credentialing obstacles — not clinical codes — are the core barrier.
What the bill would do: SB550 would amend the insurance coverage statute to require (instead of permit) group plans to credential NDs and include them in plan networks. The committee heard patient testimony describing families who struggled to use naturopathic care despite paying premiums.
What’s next: The committee will consider the tradeoffs between network adequacy, credentialing standards, and patient access; insurers requested time to complete contracting and network alignment discussions with providers.
