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SB 245 · 2025 · Senate · Health and Human Services Committee

Banning surprise ambulance billing

AI-generated

prohibiting surprise ambulance billing and regulating ground ambulance reimbursement.

Regulates reimbursement for ground ambulance services under managed care law, prohibits balance billing for such services, and establishes a commission to study ground ambulance financing and delivery.AI-generated

Status

Signed into law · July 31, 2025
  1. ✓Introduced
  2. ✓Senate
  3. ✓House
  4. ✓Governor
  5. ✓Law

Analysis

This bill: I. Regulates reimbursement for ground ambulance services under the managed care law and prohibits balance billing for ground ambulance services. II. Establishes a commission on improving the ground ambulance services financing and delivery system and provides for use of funds from the insurance department administration fund to be used for an accounting and actuarial study of ground ambulance costs in the state of New Hampshire.

From the bill's official ANALYSIS section.

In the bill's words

Quoted verbatim from the bill as enacted. Passages chosen from the operative text.Computed by this site

““Enrolling ground ambulance provider” means a ground ambulance provider who is pursuing in good faith the contracting process for becoming a participating ground ambulance provider with specified health carriers during the period between January 1, 2026, and December 30, 2027, and who has filed with the commissioner a written declaration to that effect on a form provided by the commissioner.”
RSA 420-J:20
“There is hereby established a rate schedule applicable to all health carriers doing business in the state to reimburse participating and enrolling ground ambulance providers.”
RSA 420-J:21
“Beginning on January 1, 2026, nonparticipating ground ambulance providers shall be reimbursed by health carriers at the carrier’s nonparticipating rate or at the Medicare rate that is current as of the date of service, whichever is higher.”
RSA 420-J:22
“The commissioner shall issue a bulletin no later than December 31, 2025, establishing a standardized ground ambulance provider contract template that includes a standardized format and language for contracts between health carriers and ground ambulance providers.”
RSA 420-J:23

Official record

Bill page — docket & status

gc.nh.gov · the authoritative source

Sponsors

Sen. Suzanne PrentissDPrimeAssistant Democratic Leader

Public testimony

22 signed in online · 7 wrote testimony

91% support9% oppose0% neutral

In their wordsVerbatim, exactly as submitted

“Please support SB245 for ground ambulance reimbursement. the cost of providing 911 ambulance service and insurance reimbursements, are making it extremely difficult for services to operate”
— Chief Marshall Gale, Antrim · Antrim Fire & Ambulance Deptsupports
“I support this bill as it will provide adequate reimbursement to ambulance services which struggle to maintain their essential service in this fiscal environment. Thank you. Scott Taylor, Sanbornton, NH”
— Scott Taylor, Sanborntonsupports
“This bill is very important for the stability of EMS in NH which is being held together with the dedicated effort of fewer and fewer responders.”
— William Cunningham, Carrollsupports
“Charging insurance customers 3x the Medicare rate for ambulance service to make up for too-low Medicare rates is price gouging. If the ambulance people make this stick, ER docs and other providers will want the same and the system will collapse.…”
— Roy Schweiker, Concordopposes

Verbatim excerpts of submitted testimony, quoted from the testimony tool.

Read the testimony · as of Aug 12, 2026

Votes

yeanay
Starting text: Bill as introduced

Hearings and debates

  • Feb 12, 2025Public hearingSenate Health and Human Services3:26:08–3:34:448m 36slocated in the stream transcriptHearing
  • Mar 13, 2025Floor debateSenate floorWatchnot located in the transcript — opens the full streamCommittee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2025-0775s; Ought to Pass with Amendment #2025-0775s — adopted, voice vote; Committee Amendment # 2025-0775s — adopted, voice vote
  • May 13, 2025Public hearingHouse Commerce and Consumer Affairs3:13:39–3:19:396mlocated in the stream transcriptPublic Hearing
  • May 21, 2025Public hearingHouse Commerce and Consumer AffairsWatchnot located in the transcript — opens the full streamSubcommittee Work Session
  • May 27, 2025Public hearingHouse Commerce and Consumer Affairs4:19:30–4:21:572m 27slocated in the stream transcriptCommittee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2025-2458h; Subcommittee Work Session; Executive Session
  • Jun 5, 2025Floor debateHouse floorWatchnot located in the transcript — opens the full streamOught to Pass with Amendment 2025-2458h — adopted, voice vote; Amendment # 2025-2458h — adopted, voice vote
  • Jun 12, 2025Floor debateSenate floor20:39–21:3253slocated in the stream transcriptSen. Rochefort Moved to Concur with the House Amendment — adopted, voice vote
  • Jun 26, 2025Floor debateSenate floorWatchnot located in the transcript — opens the full streamEnrolled Bill Amendment # 2025-2915e Adopted — voice vote; Enrolled Adopted — voice vote
  • Jun 26, 2025Floor debateHouse floorWatchnot located in the transcript — opens the full streamEnrolled Bill Amendment # 2025-2915e — adopted, voice vote; Enrolled (in recess)

Timestamps locate where this bill is taken up in the chamber's YouTube stream.

Legislative history

  1. Jan 9, 2025SenIntroduced 01/09/2025 and Referred to Health and Human Services; SJ 3
  2. Feb 12, 2025SenHearing: 02/12/2025, Room 101, LOB, 10:15 am; SC 9
  3. Mar 13, 2025SenCommittee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2025-0775s, 03/13/2025; Vote 5-0; CC; SC 12
  4. Mar 13, 2025SenCommittee Amendment # 2025-0775s, AA, VV; 03/13/2025; SJ 7
  5. Mar 13, 2025SenOught to Pass with Amendment #2025-0775s, MA, VV; OT3rdg; 03/13/2025; SJ 7
  6. Mar 27, 2025HouseIntroduced (in recess of) 03/27/2025 and referred to Commerce and Consumer Affairs HJ 11 P. 113
  7. May 13, 2025HousePublic Hearing: 05/13/2025 01:15 pm LOB 302-304
  8. May 7, 2025House==CANCELLED== Subcommittee Work Session: 05/07/2025 10:00 am LOB 302-304
  9. May 20, 2025House==CANCELLED== Subcommittee Work Session: 05/20/2025 11:00 am LOB 302-304
  10. May 21, 2025HouseSubcommittee Work Session: 05/21/2025 11:30 am LOB 302-304
  11. May 27, 2025HouseSubcommittee Work Session: 05/27/2025 10:00 am LOB 302-304
  12. May 27, 2025HouseExecutive Session: 05/27/2025 01:15 pm LOB 302-304
  13. May 27, 2025House: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2025-2458h 05/27/2025 (Vote 16-0; CC) HC 27 P. 8
  14. Jun 5, 2025HouseAmendment # 2025-2458h: AA VV 06/05/2025 HJ 16 P. 5
  15. Jun 5, 2025HouseOught to Pass with Amendment 2025-2458h: MA VV 06/05/2025 HJ 16 P. 5
  16. Jun 12, 2025SenSen. Rochefort Moved to Concur with the House Amendment, MA, VV; 06/12/2025; SJ 16
  17. Jun 26, 2025HouseEnrolled Bill Amendment # 2025-2915e: AA VV (in recess of) 06/26/2025 HJ 18 P. 60
  18. Jun 26, 2025SenEnrolled Bill Amendment # 2025-2915e Adopted, VV, (In recess of 06/26/2025); SJ 18
  19. Jun 26, 2025HouseEnrolled (in recess of) 06/26/2025 HJ 18 P. 64
  20. Jun 26, 2025SenEnrolled Adopted, VV, (In recess 06/26/2025); SJ 18
  21. Jul 31, 2025SenSigned by the Governor on 07/31/2025; Chapter 262
  22. Jan 1, 2028SenI. Section 2 Effective 01/01/2028
  23. Jan 1, 2026SenII. Sections 3 and 4 and 5 Effective 01/01/2026
  24. Jun 30, 2030SenIII. Section 7 Effective 06/30/2030
  25. Jul 1, 2027SenIV. Section 9 Effective 07/01/2027
  26. Jul 31, 2025SenV. Remainder Effective 07/31/2025

Coverage

No reporting linked yet.

Documents (PDF)

Bill text & amendments link direct to gc.nh.gov; committee reports stream from the state record.