Bill > HB548

This bill creates new provisions for health care facilities that operate on a membership-based business model or provide services through direct patient payments. Specifically, the bill exempts these types of facilities from certain licensing requirements and moratoriums that currently apply to nursing homes, skilled nursing facilities, and rehabilitation facilities. The bill establishes a comprehensive patients' bill of rights for direct-payment and membership-based facilities, which includes protections such as the right to be treated with dignity, to be fully informed about care and costs, to participate in treatment decisions, and to be free from abuse and discrimination. Additionally, the bill requires the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services to conduct a study examining the impact of direct-pay healthcare models on the state's healthcare system, with a report due by June 30, 2026. The new provisions aim to provide more flexibility for alternative healthcare delivery models while ensuring patient protections, and the bill will take effect 60 days after its passage. The fiscal impact is considered indeterminable, as the licensing fees are expected to offset the administrative costs of processing applications for these facilities.

Health and Social Services

https://gc.nh.gov/bill_status/legacy/bs2016/bill_docket.aspx?lsr=0265&sy=2025&sortoption=&txtsessionyear=2025&txtbillnumber=HB548