Committee Summary for Senate Health and Human Services (03/19/2025)

Bill/Time	Type	Title	Sponsor
SB288 00:00:51.879 - 7:59:42 AM	Public Hearing	(New Title) establishing an advisory council on the system of care for healthy aging in New Hampshire.	Ward, Ruth(R)[C+]2024
SB257 2025-0306S 00:34:17.040 - 8:33:08 AM	Public Hearing	establishing a committee to study state guidelines for Medicaid eligibility determinations.	Reardon, Tara(D)
SB257 2025-0306S 00:43:13.599 - 8:42:04 AM	Executive Session	establishing a committee to study state guidelines for Medicaid eligibility determinations.	Reardon, Tara(D)
SB138 00:49:37.839 - 8:48:28 AM	Public Hearing	(New Title) relative to record requests by health care providers and establishing a committee to study access to medical records in the state of New Hampshire.	McGough, Tim(R)
SB257 2025-0306S 00:43:13.599 - 8:42:04 AM	Executive Session	establishing a committee to study state guidelines for Medicaid eligibility determinations.	Reardon, Tara(D)
SB138 01:06:06.640 - 9:04:57 AM	Executive Session	(New Title) relative to record requests by health care providers and establishing a committee to study access to medical records in the state of New Hampshire.	McGough, Tim(R)
SB288 01:09:19.640 - 9:08:10 AM	Executive Session	(New Title) establishing an advisory council on the system of care for healthy aging in New Hampshire.	Ward, Ruth(R)[C+]2024
SB254 01:14:21.800 - 9:13:12 AM	Executive Session	relative to controlled substance inventories.	Rochefort, David(R)
SB247 2025-07s 01:17:30.080 - 9:16:21 AM	Executive Session	prohibiting network exclusion for pharmacies that refuse to dispense a prescription of the PBM reimbursement that is below the pharmacy's acquisition cost.	Rochefort, David(R)
SB248 01:19:58.719 - 9:18:49 AM	Executive Session	establishing a committee to study palliative and hospice care in New Hampshire.	Birdsell, Regina(R)[C+]2024
SB252 1107s 01:22:14.080 - 9:21:05 AM	Executive Session	relative to criteria for providing certain medical care through telemedicine.	Prentiss, Suzanne(D)[F]2024

SB288: Senator Ruth Ward, representing 20 towns in District 8 from Dunbarton to Claremont and Charlestown Support00:00:51.879 - 7:59:42 AM; Senator Ward introduced Senate Bill 288, highlighting the challenges with access to inpatient care, as exemplified by a constituent's experience where her mother had to spend three nights in an emergency department hallway due to lack of inpatient bed capacity. She noted that many inpatient beds are occupied by non-acute patients waiting for long-term care, causing significant financial strain. SB288 aims to establish an advisory council on long-term care to improve access within the system of care for healthy aging. An amendment is being drafted to place the council under the Commission on Aging instead of the Department of Health and Human Services.
SB288: Craig Labbor, President of the Nursing Home Affiliate for the New Hampshire Association of Counties and Nursing Home Administrator at Grafton County Nursing Home Oppose00:04:47.040 - 8:03:38 AM; Craig Labbor testified in opposition to SB288, arguing that it would create a duplicative commission, as similar work is already being done by the County State Finance Commission established under RSA 28B in 2003. He highlighted the overlap in duties and suggested that supporters of the bill should attend the County State Finance Commission meetings or apply for the vacant public member position. He concluded by asking the committee to vote the bill inexpedient to legislate.
SB288: Teresa Rosenberger, representing the New Hampshire Brain Injury Association and Bernstein Shore Information Only00:09:54.680 - 8:08:45 AM; Teresa Rosenberger expressed a neutral stance on SB288 but emphasized the need for the Brain Injury Association to be included in the advisory council. She noted that long-term care impacts all ages, not just the elderly, and requested an amendment to add a member representing the Brain Injury Association to the council, even though it's under the Commission on Aging.
SB288: Heidi Kroll, Jay Grimbleis Strategic Solutions, representing Life Coping Support00:12:22.720 - 8:11:13 AM; Heidi Kroll testified in support of SB288 on behalf of Life Coping, which provides home and community-based case management services statewide. She emphasized the critical role of case managers in advocating for patients eligible for Medicaid and requested a voting member seat on the proposed council, believing they could contribute valuable insights.
SB288: Ben Bradley, Vice President of State Government Relations for the New Hampshire Hospital Association Support00:15:05.440 - 8:13:56 AM; Ben Bradley expressed support for SB288, viewing it as part of a multi-pronged approach to address barriers to patient transfers from hospitals to long-term care facilities. He referenced a report by the Hospital Association and Foundation for Healthy Communities, which highlighted the significant number of unnecessary hospital days due to delays in long-term care placement. He supported the establishment of an advisory council to gather data and make recommendations to improve access to long-term care and mentioned working on a refined amendment with Senator Ward.
SB288: Rebecca Sky, Executive Director, New Hampshire State Commission on Aging Support00:20:42.200 - 8:19:33 AM; Rebecca Sky expressed support for the bill, emphasizing the complexity of the issue and the Commission on Aging's readiness to address it. She highlighted the commission's focus on systems of care for healthy aging and its broad representation, which avoids undue influence from special interests. Sky mentioned ongoing collaboration with the New Hampshire Hospital Association and the Department of Health and Human Services on an amendment. She stressed the commission's commitment to accessibility and public engagement, and the need for a multi-sector plan to address long-term aging issues, acknowledging the challenge of political cycles. She also noted the commission's limited staffing and the necessity for dedicated resources to effectively tackle the issue.
SB288: Courtney Tanner, Senior Director of Government Relations, Dartmouth Health Support00:25:11.840 - 8:24:02 AM; Courtney Tanner voiced strong support for the bill, discussing the challenges faced by Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center with patients who are ready for discharge but remain in the hospital due to a lack of appropriate care settings. She highlighted specific cases of patients staying far beyond their clinical need and praised the efforts of Senators on related bills that address parts of the issue. Tanner emphasized the importance of Senate Bill 288 as another crucial piece of the puzzle and mentioned ongoing work with the Department of Health and Human Services and the Commission on Aging on an amendment. She also addressed the impact of the hospital's capacity issues on patient care and the need for systemic solutions.
SB288: Lara McIntyre, Shien Infinity Capital Group, representing Granite State Home Health and Hospice Association Support00:29:54.559 - 8:28:45 AM; Lara McIntyre, representing the Granite State Home Health and Hospice Association, supported the bill and expressed interest in contributing to the health care ecosystem, particularly for long-term care. She noted that while the association is named in the bill for the long-term care council, they are not specifically appointed to the State Commission on Aging. McIntyre emphasized the association's desire to be part of the solution to address barriers in care and welcomed the opportunity to review the amendment.
SB288: Adam Shrier, Brain Injury Association of New Hampshire Support00:31:38.720 - 8:30:29 AM; Adam Shrier from the Brain Injury Association of New Hampshire supported the bill, focusing on the needs of individuals with brain injuries who often require specialized care and may be stuck in hospitals longer than necessary. He stressed the importance of including the voices of those affected by brain injuries in the council's work to ensure their issues are considered.
SB257 2025-0306S: Tommy O'Neal, Minority Caucus Director Information Only00:34:17.040 - 8:33:08 AM; Tommy O'Neal introduced SB257 on behalf of Senator Tara Reirden, representing District 15. The bill aims to establish a committee to study state guidelines for Medicaid eligibility determinations. He also introduced amendment 2025-0306S, which makes two changes to the original bill and extends the reporting date for the committee to November 1st, 2026. O'Neal mentioned that the idea for the bill came from Senator Reirden's work as a Merrimack County Commissioner, focusing on alternative pathways to determine Medicaid eligibility, particularly for residents seeking admission to the Merrimack County Nursing Home. He noted that the duties of the proposed study committee have been expanded to include considerations of the system of care for healthy aging as outlined in RSA 151-E2 and RSA 151-E23.
SB257 2025-0306S: Steve Shartler, Contoocook Support00:36:24.160 - 8:35:15 AM; Steve Shartler, a County Commissioner from Contoocook, supported the bill by discussing the challenges faced by residents waiting for Medicaid approval to enter the Merrimack County Nursing Home. He highlighted the lengthy process of Medicaid eligibility determination, which involves a health need assessment and a financial affidavit. Shartler noted that the state's 60-day requirement often results in delays due to requests for additional information. He compared New Hampshire's process to other New England states, mentioning that New Hampshire is one of only nine states following SSI 10 209B, while most states follow the simpler SSA 1634. He urged the committee to vote favorably on forming the study committee to explore alternative methods.
SB257 2025-0306S: Committee Members Vote00:43:13.599 - 8:42:04 AM; The committee moved into an executive session to discuss and vote on SB257 and its amendment 2025-0306S. There was a motion to pass the bill as amended, with discussions on the amendment and the bill's implications. The committee also discussed the timing of the report and the broader context of Medicaid funding for health care facilities. The session concluded with a vote to pass SB257 as amended and a motion to move out of the executive session.
SB138: Senator Tim McHugh, District 11, Amherst, Milford, and Wilton Support00:49:37.839 - 8:48:28 AM; Senator McHugh introduced Senate Bill 138, emphasizing the need for efficiency in healthcare, particularly in the timely access to medical records. He highlighted that the current 30-day limit for releasing medical records to other healthcare providers is inefficient and potentially dangerous. He compared New Hampshire's policy to other states like Texas, Arizona, and Montana, which have shorter turnaround times. He argued that with digital records, New Hampshire should aim for a quicker turnaround time and supported the bill as a step towards modernizing healthcare record management.
SB138: Malcolm Perry, CEO of Derry Medical Center Support00:52:51.240 - 8:51:42 AM; Malcolm Perry shared his experience from Derry Medical Center, which serves over 100,000 patients in the southern part of the state. He discussed the issue of patients having to pay fees to transfer their medical records, arguing that records should be considered the property of the patient. He provided an example of an elderly patient facing difficulties in transferring records due to fees, emphasizing that such fees should not be charged when records are transferred between healthcare providers.
SB138: Marissa Chase, representing civil plaintiff's lawyers Information Only01:04:08.240 - 9:02:59 AM; Marissa Chase did not take a position on Senate Bill 138 but expressed personal support for it. She discussed the broader issue of medical record fees and suggested the formation of a commission to continuously address these issues. She highlighted the varying practices among healthcare providers regarding record fees and the potential complications with emerging technologies like AI in medical records.
SB257 2025-0306S: Committee Members Vote00:43:13.599 - 8:42:04 AM; The committee was concluding discussions on Senate Bill 257 and amendment 2025-0306S. The speaker was finishing their remarks at 00:43:13.599.
SB138: Committee Members Vote01:06:06.640 - 9:04:57 AM; The committee discussed Senate Bill 138 and considered a potential amendment to establish a commission to address medical record issues. They decided to move forward with a floor amendment rather than a committee amendment to ensure broader stakeholder involvement. The committee voted to pass SB138 with the intention of adding a floor amendment later.
SB288: Committee Members Vote01:09:19.640 - 9:08:10 AM; The committee discussed Senate Bill 288, which involved adding the New Hampshire Brain Injury Association to the legislation. They decided to pass the bill with a committee amendment and planned to add a floor amendment later to include the association. There was some discussion about potential duplication of efforts with existing county work, but the committee felt that the association's inclusion was important.
SB254: Committee Members Vote01:14:21.800 - 9:13:12 AM; The committee discussed Senate Bill 254, which aimed to remove four words from existing legislation to align with federal law regarding controlled substance inventories. The bill was described as a technical change and was passed without the need for an amendment.
SB247 2025-07s: Committee Members Vote01:17:30.080 - 9:16:21 AM; The committee discussed Senate Bill 247 and its amendments. The first amendment, 1077s, reorganized the bill into different sections of law without changing the text. The second amendment, 2025-07s, clarified that the bill does not apply to Medicaid or Medicaid care management plans. Both amendments were adopted, and the bill was passed as amended.
SB248: Committee Members Vote01:19:58.719 - 9:18:49 AM; The committee discussed Senate Bill 248, which aimed to establish a committee to study palliative and hospice care in New Hampshire. There was a discussion about including additional stakeholders, but it was clarified that the study committee could invite participants as needed. The bill was passed without amendments.
SB252 1107s: Committee Members Vote01:22:14.080 - 9:21:05 AM; The committee discussed Senate Bill 252 and its amendment 1107s, which clarified the roles of physician assistants and nurse practitioners in prescribing. There was a discussion about removing a section related to telemedicine for spectacle lenses or contact lenses, which was initially missed in the amendment. The committee adopted the amendment and then made a further committee amendment to remove the section in question. The bill was passed as amended.

Rochefort, David(Chairman)(R)	Avard, Kevin(V Chairman)(R)[C+]2024	Birdsell, Regina(R)[C+]2024
Prentiss, Suzanne(D)[F]2024	Long, Pat(D)