HB 600-FN - AS INTRODUCED
2021 SESSION
21-0096
08/11
HOUSE BILL 600-FN
AN ACT relative to funding for newborn screening.
SPONSORS: Rep. Marsh, Carr. 8; Rep. Salloway, Straf. 5; Rep. Woods, Merr. 23; Rep. Nelson,
Carr. 5; Sen. Bradley, Dist 3
COMMITTEE: Health, Human Services and Elderly Affairs
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ANALYSIS
This bill instructs the commissioner of the department of health and human services on the
setting of fees for newborn screening tests.
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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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
 HB 600-FN - AS INTRODUCED
21-0096
08/11
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty One
AN ACT relative to funding for newborn screening.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 1 Newborn Health Screening; Funding. Amend RSA 132:10-a, II to read as follows:
2 II. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, the commissioner of the
3 department of health and human services shall establish fees, pursuant to RSA 541-A, to be paid
4 directly by hospitals in their entirety, acknowledging that fees may be offset by commercial
5 insurance or Medicaid paid to hospitals, for the tests required under paragraph I. To the
6 extent possible, the commissioner shall structure these fees to be reimbursable without out
7 of pocket cost pursuant to 45 C.F.R. 147.130. All such fees shall be paid into the newborn
8 screening fund, hereby established in the state treasury. Moneys from the newborn screening fund
9 established under this section shall be nonlapsing and shall be continually appropriated for use by
10 the department to cover laboratory analysis and related newborn screening program costs.
11 2 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.
 LBA
21-0096
1/13/21
HB 600-FN- FISCAL NOTE
AS INTRODUCED
AN ACT relative to funding for newborn screening.
FISCAL IMPACT: [ X ] State [ ] County [ ] Local [ ] None
Estimated Increase / (Decrease)
STATE: FY 2021 FY 2022 FY 2023 FY 2024
Appropriation $0 $0 $0 $0
Revenue $0 $0 $0 $0
Indeterminable
Expenditures $0 $225,000 $225,000
Increase
[ X ] General [ ] Education [ ] Highway [ X ] Other - Federal
Funding Source:
Medicaid Funds
METHODOLOGY:
This bill amends RSA 132:10-a, II by making clear that fees charged to hospitals for newborn
screening may be offset by commercial insurance and Medicaid paid to hospitals. With respect to
Medicaid reimbursements to hospitals, the Department of Health and Human Services estimates
that approximately 12,000 newborn screens are done annually and approximately one-fourth
(3,000) of the births are covered by Medicaid. The Department assumes that Medicaid would
reimburse hospitals up to $75 for the cost of each test, resulting in an annual cost to the
Medicaid program of $225,000, of which half ($112,500) would be paid for with state funds and
half with federal funds. In addition, the Department anticipates a one-time system cost to the
Medicaid program, but notes that such cost is indeterminable. The Department further notes
that the bill does not change the process by which hospitals pay fees to the Department to
support the newborn screening program. Instead, the bill provides a mechanism for hospitals to
receive compensation to offset the cost for purchasing filter papers and administration in support
of the program. The Departments assumes that, if enacted, there would be no direct fiscal
impact to the newborn screening program itself, only to the Medicaid program in the form of
reimbursements to hospitals.
With respect to private insurance reimbursements, the Insurance Department assumes that any
and all revenues a hospital realizes are available to be used to offset any costs or fees that the
hospital may be liable for. Hence, unless the legislation results in an increase in billed services,
the Department assumes that the bill has no impact on claim costs, premium rates or the State’s
premium tax revenue.
 It is assumed any fiscal impact from this bill will begin in FY 2022.
AGENCIES CONTACTED:
Department of Health and Human Services and Insurance Department


Statutes affected:
Introduced: 132:10-a
Ought to Pass: 132:10-a
latest version: 132:10-a