Legislative News


New Hampshire Law Mandates Midwife Benefits


To ensure that all insurance carriers operating within New Hampshire are providing midwife benefits, the New Hampshire legislators recently signed SB 175 into law requiring all insurers in the state of New Hampshire that provide individual policy, plan, or contract of accident or health insurance providing maternity benefits, shall also provide to certificate holders of such insurance, who are residents of this state, coverage consistent with the terms and conditions of the policy for services rendered by a midwife certified under RSA 326-D.

According to the law, such coverage shall be subject to each insurer's standards and mechanisms for credentialing and contracting pursuant to RSA 420-J: 4 and RSA 420-J: 8 respectively, where applicable, and contingent upon services being provided in a licensed health care facility and within the scope of practice of a certified midwife.

Benefits provided shall not be subject to any greater co-payment, deductible, or coinsurance than any other similar benefits provided by the insurer.

The effective date of the above-described coverage is April 14, 2006. Employers should contact their medical insurance providers if you do not receive details of the new insurance requirements as well as revised summary plan descriptions that outline the midwife coverage. All current plan participants will receive notification of the additional benefits, as well.