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SB548 • 2026

relative to health carrier provider contract standards.

relative to health carrier provider contract standards.

Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor
Cindy Rosenwald (D), Tim McGough (R), Laura Telerski (D), Kevin Avard (R), Julie Miles (R), David Nagel (D), Donovan Fenton (D), Anita Burroughs (D), Carry Spier (D)
Last action
2026-06-24
Official status
SIGNED BY GOVERNOR
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

relative to health carrier provider contract standards.

relative to health carrier provider contract standards.

What This Bill Does

  • relative to health carrier provider contract standards.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

Amendment #2026-1484h : AA VV 04/23/2026 HJ 11

Plain English: Amendment #2026-1484h : AA VV 04/23/2026 HJ 11 1

  • The official amendment file could not be read automatically during the last sync, so only the official amendment metadata is shown right now.

Bill History

  1. 2026-06-24 S

    Signed by the Governor on 06/19/2026; Chapter 195; Effective 08/18/2026

  2. 2026-06-10 H

    Enrolled (in recess of) 06/04/2026 HJ 15

  3. 2026-06-10 S

    Enrolled Adopted, VV, (In recess 06/04/2026); SJ 14

  4. 2026-05-19 H

    Referred to Finance 04/23/2026 HJ 11

  5. 2026-05-19 H

    Referral Waived by Committee Chair per House Rule 47(f) 04/23/2026 HJ 11

  6. 2026-05-07 S

    Sen. Rochefort Moved to Concur with the House Amendment, MA, VV; 05/07/2026; SJ 11

  7. 2026-04-23 H

    Amendment #2026-1484h : AA VV 04/23/2026 HJ 11

  8. 2026-04-23 H

    Ought to Pass with Amendment 2026-1484h: MA VV 04/23/2026 HJ 11

  9. 2026-04-16 H

    Committee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment #2026-1484h 04/15/2026 (Vote 18-0; CC)

  10. 2026-04-08 H

    Subcommittee Work Session: 04/14/2026 10:00 am GP 229

  11. 2026-04-08 H

    Executive Session: 04/15/2026 10:00 am GP 229

  12. 2026-04-01 H

    Subcommittee Work Session: 04/08/2026 10:00 am GP 229

  13. 2026-03-24 H

    Public Hearing: 04/01/2026 01:45 pm GP 229

  14. 2026-03-16 H

    Introduced (in recess of) 03/12/2026 and referred to Commerce and Consumer Affairs HJ 8 P. 114

  15. 2026-03-05 S

    Ought to Pass with Amendment #2026-0837s , MA, VV; OT3rdg; 03/05/2026; SJ 5

  16. 2026-02-24 S

    Committee Amendment #2026-0837s , AA, VV; 03/05/2026; SJ 5

  17. 2026-02-20 S

    Committee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment #2026-0837s , 03/05/2026; Vote 5-0; CC; SC 8

  18. 2025-12-15 S

    Hearing: 01/14/2026, Room 100, SH, 09:45 am; SC 47

  19. 2025-11-24 S

    Introduced 01/07/2026 and Referred to Health and Human Services; SJ 1

Official Summary Text

relative to health carrier provider contract standards.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
CHAPTER 195
SB 548-FN - FINAL VERSION

03/05/2026 0837s
23Apr2026... 1484h
2026 SESSION
26-2132
05/06

SENATE BILL
548-FN

AN ACT
relative to health carrier provider contract standards.

SPONSORS: Sen. Rosenwald, Dist 13; Sen. Avard, Dist 12; Sen. Fenton, Dist 10; Sen. McGough, Dist 11; Rep. Miles, Hills. 12; Rep. Burroughs, Carr. 2; Rep. Telerski, Hills. 11; Rep. Nagel, Belk. 6; Rep. Spier, Hills. 6

COMMITTEE: Health and Human Services

─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────

AMENDED ANALYSIS

This bill allows the insurance commissioner to hold an informational public hearing when a health carrier ends a provider contract affecting 1,000 or more patients; requires continued access to the provider for a limited period; requires written notice of the contract termination; and authorizes the insurance department to adopt rules regarding notice of termination of provider contracts.

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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.
03/05/2026 0837s
23Apr2026... 1484h 26-2132
05/06

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty-Six

AN ACT
relative to health carrier provider contract standards.

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

195:1 New Section; Managed Care Law; Public Hearing Regarding Termination of Provider Contract; When Required. Amend RSA 420-J by inserting after section 7-e the following new section:
420-J:7-f Public Hearing Regarding Termination of Provider Contract; When Authorized.
I. The commissioner may, in the commissioner's discretion, hold a public hearing within 15 business days after receiving notice that a health carrier intends to terminate a contract with a provider when such termination will affect 1,000 or more covered persons. Any hearing held pursuant to this section shall be informational in nature and shall not constitute approval, disapproval, or review of the contract termination. The purpose of the hearing shall be limited to receiving information and testimony regarding the potential effect of the contract termination on access to care in the affected community, including access to quality and affordable physical and mental health care services.
II. Nothing in this section shall be construed to authorize the commissioner to require continuation, modification, or renegotiation of a provider contract.
III. For purposes of this section, a health carrier's obligation to notify the commissioner of a provider contract termination shall be satisfied in accordance with existing notice requirements under this chapter.

195:2 Managed Care Law; Provider Contract Standards. RSA 420-J:8, XI is repealed and reenacted to read as follows:
XI.(a) Every contract entered into after July 1, 2003, between a health carrier and any physician or facility shall include a provision ensuring that covered persons have continued access to the provider in the event the contract is terminated for any reason other than unprofessional conduct.
(b) Such continued access shall be provided for a period of 60 days from the effective date of contract termination and shall be furnished and reimbursed in accordance with the terms and conditions of the covered person's health benefit plan and the prior contract between the health carrier and the provider.
(c) Within 5 business days of the contract termination, the health carrier shall provide written notice to affected covered persons explaining their continued access rights and stating whether the commissioner has elected to hold a public hearing pursuant to RSA 420-J:7-f.
(d) The commissioner may adopt rules under RSA 541-A to further specify the content of and process for providing notice to consumers when a contract is terminated.

195:3 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.

Approved: June 19, 2026
Effective Date: August 18, 2026