[{"_1":2,"_124":-5,"_125":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100,112],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6373281,"mediaKeyId","2146043-4e9df29e487e91277cf858e9eac901f6","parentId",2146043,"title","Committee hears plan to require limited coverage for integrative pain services as alternatives to opioids","audioSeconds",5387,"startMs",14724000,"endMs",20111000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2146043-4e9df29e487e91277cf858e9eac901f6&start=14724&end=20111","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2146043-4e9df29e487e91277cf858e9eac901f6/thumbnail_14724000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6373281/New-Hampshire/Committee-hears-plan-to-require-limited-coverage-for-integrative-pain-services-as-alternatives-to-opioids","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6373281-0d47c67887e20b8514c7ddf202c1a472/orig.mp4?Expires=1770432560&Signature=MvocbY1MjD0nTWLZskS7r-aq2SZlqs3DfzKoqY0g9Ojyv7lBZPziOLpMjsrd-RBnu9MQAhomGzcDV~xg8DO9vVJjfm7FJi0RJ0i2ncgkPe19x62xtQo3Zgfg-pkY00ZMPsBxzmrLv8FS8JFSbKSGMcqkUsEe~m52OZY7Szg2E6r38X9gfFatf5rbO7L12D6dYS6ICZlYKByq5oEgbSabXJnLf6so3JrkvI-W5EPj65UnMdw8KWErOHzN9lbm0ju19chwhPfyrw24oDTUlo7RYeDKdSVG-cqBzs5CMgFeHV6~qJjAGYEuBLM3pvAKRhl~05Smv8rFwh9mTQ0Nqb2uLA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","NH House of Representatives Committee","date","2025-01-23T00:00:00Z","article","Representative Dave Nagel, a medical doctor and sponsor of House Bill 241, told the House Commerce Committee that the bill would require carriers in the fully insured individual and small-group markets to cover a defined package of integrative, evidence-based pain services (including acupuncture, chiropractic care, behavioral health therapies, massage/manual therapies, and restorative therapies such as physical therapy) for a limited number of visits per year.

Nagel framed the proposal as a cost-effective, preventive approach that would reduce reliance on opioids and high-cost interventions such as spine surgery. ‘‘There are chapters on here that on issues that we will be discussing today,’’ he said, adding that the bill’s intent is to front-load less invasive, evidence-based care. He described the bill as a template intended to prompt payers to cover initial modalities that can, in combination, reduce pain sufficiently to improve function.

Patient advocates, acupuncture and psychology organizations, and the U.S. Pain Foundation testified in favor. Roberta Blades, a Concord resident and support-group leader with the U.S. Pain Foundation, told lawmakers that treatments such as aquatic therapy, mindfulness, targeted massage and acupuncture had helped her regain function after a severe injury and that out‑of‑pocket costs and access barriers remained.

University and hospital representatives urged caution. Lauren Banker and Lisonbee Rich of the University System of New Hampshire and University of New Hampshire athletics told the panel that campuses already provide some NIL-like (note: testimony used NIL earlier for a different bill) or support services, and the university cautioned against a fragmented patchwork of state mandates that could make it harder for in‑state institutions to recruit and retain students and athletes.

Insurers and the Insurance Department said many services listed are already covered in at least some plans, but the department flagged the need for clearer clinical guidelines and warned a mandate could increase premiums if carriers were required to cover services not in the state benchmark plan. Harvard Pilgrim told the committee it already covers a broad range of non‑opioid treatments and urged careful, targeted drafting; Anthem said it covers many nonpharmacologic options but raised network, coding and implementation questions.

No vote was taken; committee members asked sponsors and stakeholders to work on precise definitions, limits, and clinical guidelines before subcommittee consideration.

Speakers
- Representative Dave Nagel — prime sponsor, medical doctor and longtime pain-care advocate. 1st ref: s14736.035–14744.436
- Roberta Blades — Concord resident, U.S. Pain Foundation volunteer and support-group leader (testimony). 1st ref: s16925.86–16969.05
- Amy Odell Wilson — Licensed acupuncturist, New Hampshire Acupuncture and Asian Medicine Association (NAHAMA), testified in support. 1st ref: s17581.621–17601.42
- John DeJoy — New Hampshire Psychological Association (testified in support). 1st ref: s18156.154–18161.775
- Cindy Steinberg — U.S. Pain Foundation (national patient organization). 1st ref: s18307.611–18316.324
- Michelle Heaton — Director, Life & Health, New Hampshire Insurance Department (informational). 1st ref: s18993.959–19007.346
- Andrew Hosmer — Harvard Pilgrim Health Care (carrier testimony, later in hearing). 1st ref: s19191.07–19192.43

Authorities
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports and the National Pain Strategy were referenced repeatedly in sponsor testimony as policy context; committee members and witnesses said those federal documents recommend multimodal care.

Discussion vs. Decision
- Discussion only: detailed debate on evidence thresholds, visit limits (sponsor suggested a cap such as 12 visits per year), clinical guidelines and whether the state benchmark should change to require the benefit. No committee vote recorded.

Clarifying details
- category:\"visit limits\",\"detail\":\"Sponsor discussed limiting covered modalities to a fixed number of visits per year (example language in the file referenced '12 visits'); committee asked for clinical guidance on appropriate limits\",\"value\":\"12 (example discussed)\",\"units\":\"visits\",\"approximate\":true,\"source_speaker\":\"Representative Dave Nagel\"},{\"category\":\"evidence base\",\"detail\":\"Sponsor and supporters cited acupuncture evidence project and other sources to justify inclusion of specific modalities; insurers asked for specific guideline language\",\"value\":\"not specified\",\"source_speaker\":\"Amy Odell Wilson\"}],

proper_names:[{\"name\":\"U.S. Pain Foundation\",\"type\":\"organization\"},{\"name\":\"University of New Hampshire (UNH)\",\"type\":\"school\"},{\"name\":\"Harvard Pilgrim Health Care\",\"type\":\"business\"}],

community_relevance:{\"geographies\":[\"statewide\"],\"funding_sources\":[],\"impact_groups\":[\"patients with chronic pain\",\"veterans\",\"hospice and palliative care patients\",\"insurers\"]},

meeting_context:{\"engagement_level\":{\"speakers_count\":25,\"duration_minutes\":240,\"items_count\":1},\"implementation_risk\":\"medium\",\"history\":[{\"date\":\"2019\",\"note\":\"HHS best-practice guidance cited by witnesses; several federal reports have recommended multimodal pain care.\"}]},

searchable_tags:[\"HB241\",\"pain management\",\"acupuncture\",\"chiropractic\",\"behavioral health\",\"integrative care\"],

provenance:{\"transcript_segments\":[{\"block_id\":\"14705.936-14736.035\",\"local_start\":0,\"local_end\":96,\"evidence_excerpt\":\"Let's take up house bill 241...I'm honored to, present House Bill 241 from 2025. Thank you for the opportunity to do this.\",\"reason_code\":\"topicintro\"},{\"block_id\":\"20111.895-20111.895\",\"local_start\":0,\"local_end\":46,\"evidence_excerpt\":\"So thank you, Paul. Okay. Thank you. So representative, we do have 1 more bill we gotta get through here. But this will... the committee closed the public hearing.\",\"reason_code\":\"topicfinish\"}] ,

topics:[{\"name\":\"opioid alternatives\",\"justification\":\"Bill is explicitly designed to expand insurer coverage of nonpharmacologic pain care to reduce opioid reliance and downstream high-cost procedures.\",\"scoring\":{\"topic_relevance\":1.00,\"depth_score\":0.95,\"opinionatedness\":0.10,\"controversy\":0.65,\"civic_salience\":0.85,\"impactfulness\":0.80,\"geo_relevance\":0.90}}],

salience:{\"overall\":0.80,\"overall_justification\":\"High public-health salience because of opioid-era transitions, large affected population estimates for chronic pain, and potential health-cost impacts.\",\"impact_scope\":\"regional\",\"impact_scope_justification\":\"Would affect in-state insured patients and carriers; veteran and hospice programs referenced as models.\",\"attention_level\":\"high\",\"attention_level_justification\":\"Broad stakeholder participation (patients, practitioners, insurers, universities) and multiple technical questions raised.\",\"novelty\":0.50,\"novelty_justification\":\"Many payers already cover elements of the package; the bill's novelty is in bundling and a statutory visit cap and explicit coverage mandate.\",\"timeliness_urgency\":0.70,\"timeliness_urgency_justification\":\"Active national interest in reducing opioid harms and improving multimodal pain care.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","House Commerce and Consumer Affairs (01/23/2025)","oneSentenceSummary","Representative Dave Nagel, a physician and longtime pain‑care advocate, told lawmakers House Bill 241 would require insurers in certain markets to cover a short, defined package of integrative treatments shown in some studies to help manage chronic pain.","taxTitle","Commerce and Consumer Affairs, House of Representatives, Committees\t, Legislative, New Hampshire","taxId",17743,"location","New Hampshire","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6373295,"Committee hears competing views on UCC changes aimed at prohibiting CBDC and restoring individual securities ownership",3769,4273000,8042000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2146043-4e9df29e487e91277cf858e9eac901f6&start=4273&end=8042","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2146043-4e9df29e487e91277cf858e9eac901f6/thumbnail_4273000.jpg","/articles/6373295/New-Hampshire/Committee-hears-competing-views-on-UCC-changes-aimed-at-prohibiting-CBDC-and-restoring-individual-securities-ownership","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6373295-cdd00fa891c11bbacc23963365f1189b/orig.mp4?Expires=1770432560&Signature=Rb~jRMxqbvdvbCouoz6J8D-u5TtE6UWFOpd34oXo3SxJ8rOUUucHpJRIOEWkw6YshwE-ZrPqYivFPZ7GDVKlKJcMZRtTVs38PnuVQ4TMqAz2yC-aQIXDXUwaiAH8tWfJ37T5xs5OwG3Zuemvv4Y3Z1WdMJq20sDx0RXCQJHtF3j-Doa-tiKUskRTu16puxdFLod4Q~ey6NB2-x9elA~PrEWh4jH-zFyQh1PVcVsA0s15N~A9CJ1CM1R3VZnDyuM-fIIVT4UMEDMd6-VV~tuKr22pJtTvRW2rQtLKeurfzFd8SwD1LqhW7D7G8TUrk8ScCOIOjmljzDywAoCTE-evaQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Representative J.D. Bernardi introduced House Bill 427 as a two-part measure that would (1) amend the state Uniform Commercial Code to prevent programmable media of exchange from qualifying as a covered deposit account and (2) modify Article 8 language the sponsor said allows large intermediaries to treat securities as pooled entitlements rather than identifiable owner property.

\"It disallows programmable medium of exchange as an identified deposit account,\" Bernardi told the committee in opening testimony and described the change as a prohibition on Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) used as a deposit-account form. He urged the committee to adopt Section 5, saying programmable currency could be used to restrict when and where funds are spent.

The hearing became technical and adversarial when David Webb, an international commentator who described himself as an independent researcher, testified that changes adopted in the 1990s to the UCC dematerialized securities and converted investor ownership into pooled \"security entitlements.\" Webb argued those changes exposed investors to loss in insolvency, citing the Lehman Brothers episode and court decisions. He said HB 427 would restore investor ownership rights by striking exceptions that currently favor secured creditors and clearing entities.

The Uniform Law Commission's Charles Mooney, a New Hampshire ULC commissioner, strongly disagreed, calling many of Webb’s factual assertions \"wrong\" and argued the current intermediated holding model and the 1994 UCC amendments provide practical protections and settlement finality. Mooney cautioned that changes could harm liquidity, raise borrowing costs for brokers and banks, and trigger litigation. He said the depository and clearing system has checks such as the Securities Investor Protection Act (SIPA) and customer-protection rules.

Insurance, business and banking groups also testified. The Business & Industry Association objected to state-level deviations from a national UCC model. Several lawmakers pressed both sides on definitions—what constitutes a deposit account versus a commodity—and whether the bill applied to cryptocurrencies generally or only to government-issued programmable media.

No committee action was taken. Witnesses on both sides asked the committee to refer the bill to a subcommittee for technical review.

Speakers
- Representative J.D. Bernardi, prime sponsor (Rockingham 36) — government. 1st ref: s4273.7603–4304.31
- David Webb — researcher/author (testifier from Sweden). 1st ref: s4957.06–4961.16
- Charles Mooney — Uniform Law Commissioner for New Hampshire (testifier). 1st ref: s6519.015–6541.3203
- Andrew Hosmer — (later testified for Harvard Pilgrim on unrelated bill) — business testimony appears elsewhere. 1st ref: s19191.07–19192.43

Authorities
- Uniform Commercial Code, Article 8 and related sections (transcript referenced UCC and \"Article 8\").
- Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation (DTCC) described as central securities depository; witnesses referenced DTCC and clearing/custodial practices.
- Securities Investor Protection Act (SIPA) and Securities Investor Protection Corporation (SIPC) referenced by Uniform Law Commission testimony.

Discussion vs. Decision
- Discussion only: testimony ranged from detailed legal-historical claims to policy impacts on liquidity and systemic risk. The committee did not adopt changes or reach a decision at this hearing.

Clarifying details
- category: statutory reference; detail: sponsor cited RSA 382a9102a29 analogously while referencing UCC changes; value:\"not specified\"; source_speaker: Representative J.D. Bernardi
- category: technical argument; detail: proponent David Webb cited the 1994 UCC amendments as enabling pooled securities use and claimed that in insolvency investors lost timely access to assets (Lehman example); value:\"not specified\"; source_speaker: David Webb

Proper names
- {\"name\":\"Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation (DTCC)\",\"type\":\"organization\"}
- {\"name\":\"Lehman Brothers\",\"type\":\"business\"}
- {\"name\":\"Uniform Commercial Code\",\"type\":\"other\"}

Community relevance
- geographies:[\"national\",\"statewide\"], impact_groups:[\"retail investors\",\"pension funds\",\"broker-dealers\"]

Meeting context
- engagement_level:{\"speakers_count\":10,\"duration_minutes\":240,\"items_count\":1}, implementation_risk:\"high\" (technical changes could have broad financial-market effects), history:[{\"date\":\"1994\",\"note\":\"Sponsor and witnesses discussed 1994 UCC amendments and their effects\"}]

Searchable tags
- [\"UCC\",\"Article 8\",\"DTCC\",\"CBDC\",\"HB427\",\"securities\"]

Provenance
- transcript_segments:[{\"block_id\":\"4273.7603-4304.31\",\"local_start\":0,\"local_end\":40,\"evidence_excerpt\":\"Good morning, chairman Hunt and committee. For the record, I'm, representative JD Bernardi...I'm here to introduce house bill 427, which is amending the u the UCC.\",\"reason_code\":\"topicintro\"},{\"block_id\":\"8042.825-8042.0103\",\"local_start\":0,\"local_end\":67,\"evidence_excerpt\":\"We will close the hearing on 427 and if you wanna you have a handout. Just pass it out.\",\"reason_code\":\"topicfinish\"}],

topics:[{\"name\":\"financial markets\",\"justification\":\"Bill would alter state UCC definitions and property characterization for securities and deposit accounts; commentators linked changes to systemic market structure.\",\"scoring\":{\"topic_relevance\":1.00,\"depth_score\":0.95,\"opinionatedness\":0.25,\"controversy\":0.95,\"civic_salience\":0.80,\"impactfulness\":0.90,\"geo_relevance\":0.50}}],

salience:{\"overall\":0.82,\"overall_justification\":\"High potential impact on financial markets and investor protections; testimony from international and national experts increased newsworthiness.\",\"impact_scope\":\"national\",\"impact_scope_justification\":\"Changes to UCC-like rules affect custody and clearing practices that cross state lines.\",\"attention_level\":\"high\",\"attention_level_justification\":\"Complex technical debate; potential to change investor rights and market liquidity.\",\"novelty\":0.65,\"novelty_justification\":\"State-level effort mirrors proposals in other states but raises unusual technical legal debate; CBDC prohibition language is new to many jurisdictions.\",\"timeliness_urgency\":0.60,\"timeliness_urgency_justification\":\"Global conversations on CBDC and clearing reforms are active; unresolved risk of litigation or cross-jurisdictional conflict.\",\"legal_significance\":0.90,\"legal_significance_justification\":\"Would change how property and secured-creditor priorities are allocated under the UCC; interacts with federal securities rules.\",\"budgetary_significance\":0.20,\"budgetary_significance_justification\":\"Potential indirect costs to state banks/regulators and litigation risk but no immediate appropriation requested.\",\"public_safety_risk\":0.10,\"public_safety_risk_justification\":\"Primarily financial-market risk rather than physical-safety risk.\"} } , { ","Representative J.D. Bernardi told the Commerce Committee that House Bill 427 would amend the Uniform Commercial Code to exclude programmable media of exchange from the legal definition of deposit accounts and to change rules governing ownership of securities in intermediated holding systems.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6373299,"Lawmakers hear push to ban PFAS in ski, snowboard and boat wax",2337,1096000,3433000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2146043-4e9df29e487e91277cf858e9eac901f6&start=1096&end=3433","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2146043-4e9df29e487e91277cf858e9eac901f6/thumbnail_1096000.jpg","/articles/6373299/New-Hampshire/Lawmakers-hear-push-to-ban-PFAS-in-ski-snowboard-and-boat-wax","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6373299-5c66daaf23e387699296a9d1444e89f3/orig.mp4?Expires=1770432560&Signature=fLiagxtFBqGJpQRmmsbRSArpwrIQggZqLxjNrv5qUlF7NeBCs1j0W3cCubtxALYzvnQspJJ9DXSeXjfT61KPMR2TH1iM1KBXrGqvwjkAB0plSazcztwkMJO8t0IiN7-uZjP~3uyki40kRBBrbKXzSZZvYCMECq0u6JHtiVJLc3mWJ39M9PC7QHvRXGXBBr23HY3tPQWGoZVbkXSn6o6fRi9xkfEEuI9Rr9RHf5eLALK87hH9yM2WBm5NAt11zCcJCwJk33b-wOLy6Z97TqlZ8IDqKUkkS6WREQ4UPjnXEMkpN4x89jAkJZcKOTwFRjFvZPPW-tYjw20aao3YRM8Vww__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Representative Carrie Spear, the prime sponsor’s designee, told the House Commerce and Consumer Affairs Committee that House Bill 167 would add ski, snowboard and boat wax to a list of consumer products banned statewide if they contain PFAS, a family of persistent chemicals.

The measure is ‘‘a very simple idea’’ meant to extend earlier work the committee completed on PFAS, Spear said. ‘‘This committee has worked for a whole year on banning certain PFAS products…we did a lot of work on that…this bill is specifically geared to ban PFAS in ski, board, and boat wax,’’ she told the panel.

Spear and other witnesses described two core reasons for the proposal: (1) PFAS in wax is applied directly to surfaces that shed into water and snow rather than becoming part of landfill waste streams, and (2) alternatives already exist. ‘‘Every company that makes the wax makes a PFAS-free version,’’ Spear said. She noted international and Olympic rules that have restricted PFAS use in competitive skiing, and said athletes at national levels use PFAS-free products.

A public commenter described a past period when liquid ski wax was unavailable and thought PFAS may have been the reason; the product reappeared in the market as a PFAS-free version, the commenter said.

Speakers cited local sampling showing fish from several lakes in southern New Hampshire contain PFAS at levels well above EPA guidance, and they urged closing a perceived regulatory gap that leaves water bodies exposed to additional PFAS inputs from wax runoff.

No formal action was taken at the hearing. Committee members had no follow-up questions recorded in the transcript.

Ending: If the committee moves the bill forward, sponsors and witnesses indicated they expect to work with staff on drafting language that mirrors steps taken in neighboring states.

Speakers
- Carrie Spear, Representative’s designee (testifier) — testified as the presenting sponsor’s substitute. Affiliation: government (state representative’s office). 1st ref: s606.65–644.88
- Bruce (last name not specified), public commenter — citizen. 1st ref: s904.33–932.51

Authorities
- none specified in transcript beyond references to ‘‘the committee’’ work on prior PFAS bill (no statute cited).

Discussion vs. Decision
- Discussion only: proponents described environmental and product-replacement rationale and cited sampling from local lakes. No formal committee vote or direction was recorded in the transcript.

Clarifying details
- category: environmental sampling; detail: speakers cited fish with PFAS levels they described as thousands of times higher than EPA guidance in specific local lakes (Beaver Lake, Robinson Pond, Hudson, Horseshoe Pond, Merrimack, Cannery Lake, Salem, Cobitz Lake); value: \"not specified\" (transcript gave multiplicative descriptions not precise dataset). source_speaker: Carrie Spear

Proper names
- {\"name\":\"Beaver Lake\",\"type\":\"location\"}
- {\"name\":\"Robinson Pond\",\"type\":\"location\"}
- {\"name\":\"Hudson\",\"type\":\"location\"}
- {\"name\":\"Horseshoe Pond\",\"type\":\"location\"}
- {\"name\":\"Merrimack\",\"type\":\"location\"}
- {\"name\":\"Cannery Lake\",\"type\":\"location\"}
- {\"name\":\"Salem\",\"type\":\"location\"}
- {\"name\":\"Cobitz Lake\",\"type\":\"location\"}

Community relevance
- geographies: [\"southern New Hampshire lakes\"]
- impact_groups: [\"recreational anglers\",\"water users\",\"skiers/snowboarders\"]

Searchable tags
- [\"PFAS\",\"ski wax\",\"consumer products\",\"water quality\",\"House Bill 167\"]

Provenance
- transcript_segments: [{\"block_id\":\"584.82996-592.52997\",\"local_start\":0,\"local_end\":46,\"evidence_excerpt\":\"Little bit of the hearing on House Bill 167 and hear from representative Spear who will fill out a PIN card afterwards.\",\"reason_code\":\"topicintro\"},{\"block_id\":\"873.27-878.635\",\"local_start\":0,\"local_end\":42,\"evidence_excerpt\":\"So that's what this bill is about. Any questions?\",\"reason_code\":\"topicfinish\"}],

topics:[{\"name\":\"environmental health\",\"justification\":\"Proposal would ban PFAS-containing consumer wax products that speakers said directly enter water bodies; links to local fish contamination claims.\",\"scoring\":{\"topic_relevance\":0.95,\"depth_score\":0.45,\"opinionatedness\":0.05,\"controversy\":0.30,\"civic_salience\":0.60,\"impactfulness\":0.50,\"geo_relevance\":0.90}}],

salience:{\"overall\":0.55,\"overall_justification\":\"Local environmental contamination claims and an easy regulatory add-on raise moderate public-health relevance but limited statewide immediate budgetary impact.\",\"impact_scope\":\"local\",\"impact_scope_justification\":\"Speakers focused on southern New Hampshire lakes.\",\"attention_level\":\"medium\",\"attention_level_justification\":\"Public comment and sponsor testimony; procedural next steps likely in committee.\",\"novelty\":0.35,\"novelty_justification\":\"Adds a specific product category to an existing PFAS regime, not a novel regulatory approach.\",\"timeliness_urgency\":0.40,\"timeliness_urgency_justification\":\"Related to ongoing PFAS policy work; not an emergency.\",\"legal_significance\":0.10,\"legal_significance_justification\":\"A product prohibition amendment is regulatory but not a statutory constitutional change.\",\"budgetary_significance\":0.05,\"budgetary_significance_justification\":\"No appropriation requested in the hearing.\",\"public_safety_risk\":0.30,\"public_safety_risk_justification\":\"Speakers invoked very high fish contamination levels but no statutory standard amendment was cited.\",\"affected_population_estimate\":50000,\"affected_population_estimate_justification\":\"Estimate limited to anglers and lakeshore users in affected counties; figure approximate.\",\"affected_population_confidence\":0.30,\"fact_check_risk\":0.25,\"fact_check_risk_justification\":\"Speakers cited very large multiples of EPA guidance; underlying data not supplied at hearing.\"}},{\"id\":\"hb312-nil-regulation\",\"headline\":\"Panel hears bill to set state rules for college athletes’ name, image and likeness deals\",\"shortSummary\":\"House Bill 312 would establish state-level rules on how college athletes may market their name, image and likeness (NIL), including who may represent them and what endorsements would be restricted; University System leaders urged caution as federal and NCAA developments continue to evolve.\", ","A proponent told the House Commerce Committee that many states and international sports bodies already ban PFAS-treated ski and snowboard wax and urged New Hampshire to add those products to an existing PFAS consumer ban.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6373286,"Representative says insurers should pay when they require extra staff training of health providers",1591,13102000,14693000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2146043-4e9df29e487e91277cf858e9eac901f6&start=13102&end=14693","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2146043-4e9df29e487e91277cf858e9eac901f6/thumbnail_13102000.jpg","/articles/6373286/New-Hampshire/Representative-says-insurers-should-pay-when-they-require-extra-staff-training-of-health-providers","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6373286-eefd35c9daee59b3e77cd92b9ab5c04f/orig.mp4?Expires=1770432560&Signature=N1l3FpW3jvAi9SfLGjcA4eG1yXDbUyOyCcofXKHRvvJr4UXCaJSQyCVWDeXdIc0YPv4SjmDYQ9kRUP2qP27qbNHu0mUrvJa4YFoTsREzJ-AQH4LV0cUPILS3PKFB3mDdeytcwzo7-n66QWsjtJW39aBsduHaodH2ySQ2OiicanhzpLZyarAVQPglKxJ4PGUdLTEFwa5dX4bdJOdI6XrFhlI54dYePCHSXUr7SAAkfw7jtwaow7EbdnroEWMZaW-aaa5LOavAajbKTFKojNlsMnnzvLRWYoV5jrr6ttbC0uM4H7Jb7NGx8WBSTA~K19LG0~OBENv-Yfh-NoT0drehXw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Representative Jack Flanagan told the Commerce Committee that House Bill 275 would prevent insurers from shifting costs to providers when the insurer requires additional training or certifications that are not licensing prerequisites.

Flanagan described a constituent dentist who was told by a Medicare Advantage plan administrator to have his entire office staff complete an LGBTQ+ or cultural-competency training before being accepted into the insurer’s network; the dentist declined because the cost at four locations would have been prohibitive. ‘‘If an insurance company wants something that is not part of the licensing or certifying requirement, then they should pay for it,’’ Flanagan said.

Witnesses and department representatives questioned the bill’s scope and whether the state could regulate federal Medicare Advantage plans. Michelle Heaton of the New Hampshire Insurance Department said the department takes no position but cautioned the draft’s broad language could create unintended consequences and increase premiums because carriers could absorb added costs.

Opponents urged caution. Anthem’s government-relations director said a third-party administrator had described federal rules that require some culturally competent training to be downstreamed for Medicare Advantage populations, and that the carrier’s role in Medicare Advantage differs from fully insured commercial lines.

The committee closed the hearing and scheduled subcommittee work; members asked the sponsor to narrow the language and consult with regulators.

Speakers
- Representative Jack Flanagan, prime sponsor (Mason and surrounding towns) — government. 1st ref: s13078.435–13108.335
- Michelle Heaton, Director of Life and Health, New Hampshire Insurance Department — government (informational). 1st ref: s14339.38–14374.59
- Sabrina Dunlap, Director of Government Relations, Anthem — business (testified she’d discussed a Medicare Advantage third-party administrator). 1st ref: s14567.835–14578.235

Authorities
- Medicare Advantage federal rules were mentioned in testimony as a driver for some carrier requirements (speaker references: Anthem / third-party administrator). No federal citation was read into the record.

Discussion vs. Decision
- Discussion only: the committee asked clarifying questions about market applicability (individual, small group, Medicare Advantage) and asked the sponsor to refine statutory language. No vote was taken.

Clarifying details
- category:\"inciting incident\",\"detail\":\"Dentist was told insurer required staff training across four locations; cost deemed prohibitive\",\"value\":\"not specified\",\"source_speaker\":\"Representative Jack Flanagan\"},{\"category\":\"federal jurisdiction\",\"detail\":\"Department noted the state lacks regulatory authority over Medicare Advantage plans and cautioned the bill may not affect federal programs\",\"value\":\"not specified\",\"source_speaker\":\"Michelle Heaton\"}],

proper_names:[{\"name\":\"Anthem\",\"type\":\"business\"}],

community_relevance:{\"geographies\":[\"statewide\"],\"impact_groups\":[\"health-care providers\",\"insurers\",\"Medicare Advantage beneficiaries\"]},

meeting_context:{\"engagement_level\":{\"speakers_count\":8,\"duration_minutes\":85,\"items_count\":1},\"implementation_risk\":\"medium\",\"history\":[]},

searchable_tags:[\"HB275\",\"insurer requirements\",\"provider training\",\"Medicare Advantage\"],

provenance:{\"transcript_segments\":[{\"block_id\":\"13078.435-13108.335\",\"local_start\":0,\"local_end\":89,\"evidence_excerpt\":\"Open up the public hearing on 275. And Representative Flanagan is here. ...For the record, I represent... I'm presenting, house bill, 275.\",\"reason_code\":\"topicintro\"},{\"block_id\":\"14693.68-14693.68\",\"local_start\":0,\"local_end\":60,\"evidence_excerpt\":\"So I'll close the public hearing. This bill will go to the subcommittee and will be dealt with.\",\"reason_code\":\"topicfinish\"}] ,

topics:[{\"name\":\"health-insurance policy\",\"justification\":\"Bill would require insurers to pay when they mandate non-licensing training for network participation; this raises premium and federal-jurisdiction issues.\",\"scoring\":{\"topic_relevance\":0.90,\"depth_score\":0.60,\"opinionatedness\":0.10,\"controversy\":0.45,\"civic_salience\":0.55,\"impactfulness\":0.45,\"geo_relevance\":0.80}}],

salience:{\"overall\":0.52,\"overall_justification\":\"Potentially important to providers but limited by questions about state authority over Medicare Advantage and unclear scope of proposed mandates.\",\"impact_scope\":\"local\",\"impact_scope_justification\":\"Would affect in-state providers contracting with carriers, but federal plans may be out of scope.\",\"attention_level\":\"medium\",\"attention_level_justification\":\"Providers and carriers engaged; statutory drafting issues flagged.\",\"novelty\":0.25,\"novelty_justification\":\"Similar concerns have appeared previously in provider–insurer disputes; bill is narrower and procedural.\",\"timeliness_urgency\":0.40,\"timeliness_urgency_justification\":\"Ongoing insurer network negotiations make the issue relevant.\"} } , { ","Representative Jack Flanagan described a constituent case in which an insurer asked a dentist’s entire staff to take training not required for licensing; he proposed House Bill 275 to require insurers to pay when they demand extra non-licensing programs as a condition of network participation.",{"_33":113,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":114,"_41":115,"_43":116,"_45":117,"_47":118,"_49":119,"_51":120,"_53":121,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":122,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":123,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6373290,"Secretary of State asks committee to let office remove fraudulent business filings after spike in synthetic-entity fraud",909,8043000,8952000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2146043-4e9df29e487e91277cf858e9eac901f6&start=8043&end=8952","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2146043-4e9df29e487e91277cf858e9eac901f6/thumbnail_8043000.jpg","/articles/6373290/New-Hampshire/Secretary-of-State-asks-committee-to-let-office-remove-fraudulent-business-filings-after-spike-in-synthetic-entity-fraud","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6373290-f5253dd272bc89d6859f174448deec16/orig.mp4?Expires=1770432560&Signature=Sbc6WuwFwoTyGJqv2zpEm0KTfKOMcMQTrwjCWsDT1sNmIfFRa2HNjGvRRrn4maPakpvBb32UdcAOMIpNt~IwkMkkbl7xlJTcU3CkybtE1trlEgDYF9L8B~nzhcF~hRQKRFrecn0-qVFrsQyDirt7rTqZKiG4VRqmYSR7zxBy0Ku3qvtSocQYGxdmXbEfo~XdV4sF301NS-60pUXZ8j0Fcxro5pZz6ftDDfh2jHlvhyY23iHqIxZMk4XXeTaCoTGoCRHfklEtNtKaSnnk83jcVD49Nx1KiJsTu3r4nbA0-4~-eBt2sCSvIVgFRl5Y6EEAL4LORD4wnACB4eQNoWstcg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Deputy Secretary of State Erin Hennessey and Tom Connolly, director of the Corporations Division, asked the House Commerce and Consumer Affairs Committee to approve language allowing the Secretary of State to verify and remove certain fraudulent corporate filings under House Bill 406.

Hennessey said the request followed reports of ‘‘company hijacking’’ and ‘‘synthetic entities’’: actors filing annual reports or new entities that used an existing business’s name and address to open bank accounts, obtain cards, or apply for loans. In one case described to the committee, an employer said a bank sent a truck payment book to a legitimate business after a falsified filing had led to the purchase of a vehicle.

\"Right now, we do not verify who they are,\" Tom Connolly said. He explained the office removed notarization requirements decades ago when filings went electronic, and the Department lacks statutory authority to take down unauthorized filings quickly. HB 406, drafted using language from a Connecticut law, would let the Secretary of State verify claims of unauthorized filings and remove entries after receiving a sworn statement from an aggrieved business.

Business groups voiced concerns about unintended consequences and asked for time to review statutory language. Nate Grama of the Business and Industry Association said the association opposed unilateral state changes to the UCC-like framework and preferred multi-state model-law processes. The department and stakeholders agreed subcommittee work would be useful; the department said its proposed system replacement and updated online processes could also reduce abuses.

Ending: Committee members asked the department to work with stakeholders and report back at subcommittee.

Speakers
- Erin Hennessey, Deputy Secretary of State — government (Secretary of State’s office). 1st ref: s8092.01–8122.51
- Tom Connolly, Director, Corporations Division — government (Secretary of State). 1st ref: s8126.17–8155.43
- Nate Grama, Government Relations — Business & Industry Association (opposed). 1st ref: s7953.73–7969.0854

Authorities
- Connecticut statute (model language) referenced as drafting source; transcript: \"language taken from a Connecticut bill\".

Discussion vs. Decision
- Discussion only: department requested enabling authority; business groups asked for clarifying amendments and time to consult; committee set subcommittee follow-up.

Clarifying details
- category: fraud volume; detail: department reported a couple dozen reported incidents of hijacking/synthetic filings over two years, based on filings brought to the office; value: \"about two dozen\"; source_speaker: Tom Connolly
- category: proposed process; detail: removal would require receipt of a sworn statement from the affected business before the Secretary of State acts; source_speaker: Tom Connolly

Proper names
- {\"name\":\"Secretary of State\",\"type\":\"agency\"},{\"name\":\"Connecticut\",\"type\":\"location\"}

Community relevance
- geographies:[\"statewide\"], impact_groups:[\"small businesses\",\"registered agents\",\"banks\"]

Meeting context
- engagement_level:{\"speakers_count\":6,\"duration_minutes\":80,\"items_count\":1}, implementation_risk:\"low-to-medium\" (policy change requires technical rules and IT updates), history:[{\"date\":\"2025-10-12\",\"note\":\"Department adopted Connecticut language; stakeholders asked for subcommittee review.\"}]

Searchable tags
- [\"business registry\",\"identity fraud\",\"synthetic entities\",\"HB406\",\"Secretary of State\"]

Provenance
- transcript_segments:[{\"block_id\":\"8043.6753-8060.54\",\"local_start\":0,\"local_end\":60,\"evidence_excerpt\":\"You're on well, it opens the public hearing on house bill 406...It's the department bill. I just assume I have the department introduced the bill.\",\"reason_code\":\"topicintro\"},{\"block_id\":\"8952.766-8963.63\",\"local_start\":0,\"local_end\":44,\"evidence_excerpt\":\"Now I'll close the public hearing. 406. And so where are we? We're half an hour behind schedule.\",\"reason_code\":\"topicfinish\"}],

topics:[{\"name\":\"business registry\",\"justification\":\"Proposal gives Secretary of State authority to verify and remove unauthorized filings to reduce company-hijacking and synthetic-entity fraud.\",\"scoring\":{\"topic_relevance\":0.95,\"depth_score\":0.70,\"opinionatedness\":0.05,\"controversy\":0.40,\"civic_salience\":0.55,\"impactfulness\":0.50,\"geo_relevance\":0.85}}],

salience:{\"overall\":0.60,\"overall_justification\":\"Practical impact on businesses and fraud prevention at state registry level; moderate civic attention expected.\",\"impact_scope\":\"local\",\"impact_scope_justification\":\"Registry affects state businesses and banks; fraud incidents were statewide.\",\"attention_level\":\"medium\",\"attention_level_justification\":\"Department and business community engaged; subcommittee follow-up expected.\",\"novelty\":0.25,\"novelty_justification\":\"Many states face similar issues; draft language borrowed from Connecticut.\",\"timeliness_urgency\":0.50,\"timeliness_urgency_justification\":\"Current incidents reported to Secretary of State make the proposal timely.\",\"legal_significance\":0.30,\"legal_significance_justification\":\"Would change administrative authority for registry removals but does not rewrite corporate law.\",\"budgetary_significance\":0.10,\"budgetary_significance_justification\":\"Department said changes could be handled within current budget for initial steps; IT upgrades may be needed for longer term.\"} } , {","Department officials urged the House Commerce Committee to allow the Secretary of State to verify and remove fraudulent 'synthetic' or hijacked business registrations after a wave of filings that used legitimate business names and addresses to open bank accounts and request credit.","actionData","errors"]

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Representative says insurers should pay when they require extra staff training of health providers

Secretary of State asks committee to let office remove fraudulent business filings after spike in synthetic-entity fraud