The proposed bill, "The New Hampshire Momnibus 2.0," seeks to improve maternal health and wellness through several key initiatives. It mandates maternal depression screenings for new mothers during well-child visits under the state Medicaid program, with the Department of Health and Human Services authorized to reimburse these screenings. Additionally, health insurance providers are required to cover maternal depression screenings for pregnant and postpartum patients, as well as caregivers, during specified well-child visits. The bill also introduces employee protections for attending medical appointments related to postpartum care and fertility treatments, while extending job protections under employer-sponsored family and medical leave insurance plans. New legal language is inserted to define "maternal depression screening" and "caregiver," and existing provisions are amended to ensure comprehensive coverage for perinatal mental health and substance use treatment.

Moreover, SB 246-FN enhances healthcare access and job protections for pregnant and postpartum women by mandating health carriers to provide coverage for home visiting services, which include support from qualified health professionals and resource referrals. The bill defines "home visiting services" to include evidence-based, voluntary support aimed at improving maternal and child health. It also introduces a new section to RSA 275, preventing employers from denying leave for medical appointments related to fertility treatment, pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum care, while ensuring job restoration upon return. The bill modifies Family and Medical Leave Insurance provisions by lowering the employer threshold from 50 to 10 employees and mandates a study on a perinatal peer support certification program, with findings due by November 1, 2026. The act is set to take effect on July 1, 2025, with the fiscal impact currently undetermined.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 275:37-d