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HB 1554 · 2026 · House · Commerce and Consumer Affairs Committee

Peer review for insurance prior authorization

AI-generated

requiring insurance carriers to provide peer-to-peer review at any stage of prior authorization and mandating disclosure of reviewer credentials.

Requires insurance carriers to provide peer-to-peer review at any stage of the prior authorization process and mandates disclosure of the reviewing clinician's credentials.AI-generated

Status

Killed in the Senate — Inexpedient to Legislate · May 14, 2026
  1. ✓Introduced
  2. ✓House
  3. ✕Senate
  4. Governor
  5. Law

Analysis

This bill requires insurance carriers to provide peer-to-peer review at any stage of prior authorization, establishes qualifications for reviewing providers, and requires disclosure of such information to the treating provider.

From the bill's official ANALYSIS section.

In the bill's words

Quoted verbatim from the bill as amended by the Senate.

“Upon issuance of an adverse prior authorization determination, an insured or their provider may at any time request and receive a peer-to-peer review, including after an appeal has been initiated. The insurer shall honor such a request regardless of appeal status and schedule the peer-to-peer conversation within 5 business days of the request.”
RSA 420-E:4-b, VII-a

The core right: a peer-to-peer conversation at any point, even after an appeal is under way, scheduled within five business days.AI-generated

“The peer-to-peer review shall be conducted by a physician reviewer who: (1) Holds an active license in the same or a similar specialty as the treating provider; (2) Is actively practicing in the same or similar field of medicine; and (3) Has expertise to assess the medical necessity of the specific procedure or service under review.”
RSA 420-E:4-b, VII-a(a)

Who the reviewer must be — the qualification that replaces "demonstrable expertise, whether or not in the same specialty."AI-generated

“In any peer-to-peer review conducted by an insurer, the insurer shall disclose to the requesting provider, at or before the start of the peer-to-peer conversation: (1) The reviewer’s full name; (2) The reviewer’s licensure type and issuing state; and (3) The reviewer’s National Provider Identifier (NPI). This disclosure requirement applies regardless of whether the call is initiated by the provider or the insurer.”
RSA 420-E:4-b, VII-a(b)

The disclosure half of the bill: name, license, and NPI of the person on the other end of the call.AI-generated

“Failure of the insurer to comply with this section shall constitute an unfair insurance practice under RSA 417 and may be subject to administrative penalties by the insurance commissioner.”
RSA 420-E:4-b, VII-a(c)

Enforcement through the insurance department rather than a private suit.AI-generated

Official record

Bill page — docket & status

gc.nh.gov · the authoritative source

Sponsors

Rep. Julie MilesRPrime
  • Rep. Katelyn KuttabRClerk· Judiciary
  • Sen. Suzanne PrentissDAssistant Democratic Leader
  • Sen. Bill GannonRChair· Judiciary

Also: Rep. David NagelD, Rep. Mary MurphyR, Rep. Jim KofaltR, Sen. Tim McGoughR

Public testimony

31 signed in online · 4 wrote testimony

90% support10% oppose0% neutral

In their wordsVerbatim, exactly as submitted

“The New Hampshire Medical Society supports HB 1554 and the bill's measures that make the prior authorization process more transparent, efficient, and clinically appropriate.…”
— Cathy Stratton, Concord · NH Medical Societysupports
“It is unethical and not in patients' / your constituents' interest for insurance companies to use non-peer reviewers who aren't informed or experienced with clinical care , it only allows health insurance companies' to deny care.”
— Lyssa Bayne-Kim, Durhamsupports
“Peer-to-peer review is best practice to prevent health insurance corporations from denying healthcare to those most in need.”
— Kristina Gelinas, Plaistowsupports

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
  • Mar 3, 2026HouseCommittee report· regular calendar: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2026-0805h13–2
    Overall
    87% yea
  • Mar 11, 2026HouseDivisionAmendment 2026-0805hAdopted192–143
    Overall
    57% yea
  • Mar 11, 2026HouseDivisionOught to Pass with Amendment 2026-0805hAdopted244–92
    Overall
    73% yea
    Resulting text: Bill as amended by the House
  • May 7, 2026SenateCommittee report: Inexpedient to Legislate5–0
    Overall
    100% yea
  • May 14, 2026SenateCommittee reportCommittee report: Inexpedient to Legislate5–0
    Overall
    100% yea
  • May 14, 2026SenateVoice voteInexpedient to Legislatefailed
  • May 14, 2026SenateVoice voteSen. McGough Floor Amendment # 2026-1980sadopted
  • May 14, 2026SenateVoice voteOught to Pass with Amendment # 2026-1980sadopted
    Resulting text: Bill as amended by the Senate
  • May 14, 2026HouseVoice voteHouse Non-Concurs with Senate Amendment 2026-1980s and Requests CofC (Rep. Hunt)adopted
  • May 14, 2026SenateVoice voteSen. Innis Accedes to House Request for Committee of Conferenceadopted

Hearings and debates

  • Feb 17, 2026Public hearingHouse Commerce and Consumer Affairs4:48:51–4:55:166m 25slocated in the stream transcriptPublic Hearing
  • Feb 18, 2026Public hearingHouse Commerce and Consumer Affairs1:02:07–1:03:161m 9slocated in the stream transcriptFull Committee Work Session; ==RECESSED== Executive Session
  • Mar 3, 2026Public hearingHouse Commerce and Consumer Affairs34:36–35:451m 9slocated in the stream transcriptMajority Committee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2026-0805h — roll call; Full Committee Work Session; ==CONTINUED== Executive Session
  • Mar 11, 2026Floor debateHouse floor1:07:44–1:12:495m 5slocated in the stream transcriptOught to Pass with Amendment 2026-0805h — adopted, division 244-92; Amendment # 2026-0805h — adopted, division 192-143
  • Apr 7, 2026Public hearingSenate Commerce2:14:07–2:22:588m 51slocated in the stream transcriptHearing
  • May 14, 2026Floor debateHouse floorWatchnot located in the transcript — opens the full streamHouse Non-Concurs with Senate Amendment 2026-1980s and Requests CofC (Rep. Hunt) — adopted, voice vote; Speaker Appoints: Reps. Hunt, Miles, Herbert, Potucek
  • May 14, 2026Floor debateSenate floor4:55:15–5:04:209m 5slocated in the stream transcriptCommittee Report: Inexpedient to Legislate; Inexpedient to Legislate — failed, voice vote; Sen. McGough Moved Ought to Pass

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

Legislative history

  1. Jan 7, 2026HouseIntroduced 01/07/2026 and referred to Commerce and Consumer Affairs HJ 1 P. 25
  2. Feb 17, 2026HousePublic Hearing: 02/17/2026 02:15 pm GP 159
  3. Feb 18, 2026HouseFull Committee Work Session: 02/18/2026 10:00 am GP 229
  4. Feb 18, 2026House==RECESSED== Executive Session: 02/18/2026 01:00 pm GP 229
  5. Mar 3, 2026HouseFull Committee Work Session: 03/03/2026 10:00 am GP 229
  6. Mar 3, 2026House==CONTINUED== Executive Session: 03/03/2026 01:00 pm GP 229
  7. Mar 3, 2026HouseMajority : Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2026-0805h 03/03/2026 (Vote 13-2; RC) HC 10 P. 31
  8. Mar 4, 2026HouseMinority : Refer for Interim Study
  9. Mar 11, 2026HouseAmendment # 2026-0805h: AA DV 192-143 03/11/2026 HJ 7 P. 68
  10. Mar 11, 2026HouseOught to Pass with Amendment 2026-0805h: MA DV 244-92 03/11/2026 HJ 7 P. 69
  11. Mar 12, 2026SenIntroduced 03/12/2026 and Referred to Commerce; SJ 7
  12. Apr 7, 2026SenHearing: 04/07/2026, Room 100, SH, 10:40 am; SC 13
  13. May 7, 2026Sen: Inexpedient to Legislate; Vote 5-0; CC; 05/07/2026; SC 17
  14. May 7, 2026SenHB 1554 was Removed from the Consent Calendar; 05/07/2026; SJ 11
  15. May 14, 2026SenSpecial Order to 05/14/2026, Without Objection, MA; 05/07/2026 SJ 11
  16. May 14, 2026SenCommittee Report: Inexpedient to Legislate, 05/14/2026, Vote 5-0; SC 18
  17. May 14, 2026SenSpecial Order to be the first bill after the lunch break, Without Objection, MA; 05/14/2026; SJ 12
  18. May 14, 2026SenInexpedient to Legislate, MF, VV; 05/14/2026; SJ 12
  19. May 14, 2026SenSen. McGough Moved Ought to Pass; 05/14/2026; SJ 12
  20. May 14, 2026SenSen. McGough Floor Amendment # 2026-1980s, AA, VV; 05/14/2026; SJ 12
  21. May 14, 2026SenOught to Pass with Amendment # 2026-1980s, MA, VV; OT3rdg; 05/14/2026; SJ 12
  22. May 14, 2026HouseHouse Non-Concurs with Senate Amendment 2026-1980s and Requests CofC (Rep. Hunt): MA VV 05/14/2026 HJ 13 P. 148
  23. May 14, 2026HouseSpeaker Appoints: Reps. Hunt, Miles, Herbert, Potucek 05/14/2026 HJ 13
  24. May 14, 2026SenSen. Innis Accedes to House Request for Committee of Conference, MA, VV; (In recess 05/14/2026); SJ 13
  25. May 14, 2026SenPresident Appoints: Senators Innis, Murphy, Prentiss; (In Recess 05/14/2026); SJ 13
  26. May 26, 2026HouseConference Committee Meeting: 05/26/2026 12:00 pm GP 229
  27. Jun 2, 2026SenConference Committee Report; Not Signed Off; SJ 14

Coverage

No reporting linked yet.

Documents (PDF)

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