New Hampshire insurance law on MNT and nutrition counseling
The short answerNew Hampshire requires individual and group accident and health policies to cover diabetes outpatient self-management training and educational services, including medical nutrition therapy. It also requires coverage for obesity treatment, and its treatment standards may include nutritional counseling.
By Javier Alvarez · Updated · 2 min read
1 row: State insurance law · New Hampshire. Public policy, not the member's benefits.
New Hampshire insurance law
Fully insured plans (RSA 415:6-e, 415:18-f, 415:6-o, 415:18-t) · New Hampshire
| 97802 | Not published |
|---|---|
| 97803 | Not published |
| G0270 | Not published |
| G0271 | Not published |
| Where it applies | Individual policies (RSA 415:6-e, 415:6-o) and group policies (RSA 415:18-f, 415:18-t) of accident or health insurance that provide benefits for medical or hospital expenses, subject to the terms and conditions of the policy. [1] |
| Diagnoses | Diabetes services are covered for the treatment of diabetes. The obesity section covers diseases and ailments caused by obesity and morbid obesity, for insured persons at least 18 years of age. [1] |
| Telehealth POS | Not published: call the payer. |
| Telehealth modifier | Not published: call the payer. |
| Visit limits | Not published: call the payer. |
| Referral and prior auth | Diabetes training and education is covered pursuant to a written order of a primary care physician or practitioner. Obesity treatment, including bariatric surgery, requires a written order from the prescribing physician stating the treatment is medically necessary. [1] |
| Who can bill | Diabetes training and education, including medical nutrition therapy, is provided by a certified, registered, or licensed health care professional with expertise in diabetes. [1] |
| Also | The obesity section says treatment standards may include behavior modification, weight loss, exercise regimens, nutritional counseling, and post-operative counseling of dietary, exercise and lifestyle changes. Its standards are those of the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery or the American College of Surgeons. [1] |
What the New Hampshire law says
- Where it applies. Individual policies (RSA 415:6-e, 415:6-o) and group policies (RSA 415:18-f, 415:18-t) of accident or health insurance that provide benefits for medical or hospital expenses, subject to the terms and conditions of the policy.
- Diagnoses. Diabetes services are covered for the treatment of diabetes. The obesity section covers diseases and ailments caused by obesity and morbid obesity, for insured persons at least 18 years of age.
- Referral and prior auth. Diabetes training and education is covered pursuant to a written order of a primary care physician or practitioner. Obesity treatment, including bariatric surgery, requires a written order from the prescribing physician stating the treatment is medically necessary.
- Who can bill. Diabetes training and education, including medical nutrition therapy, is provided by a certified, registered, or licensed health care professional with expertise in diabetes.
- Also. The obesity section says treatment standards may include behavior modification, weight loss, exercise regimens, nutritional counseling, and post-operative counseling of dietary, exercise and lifestyle changes. Its standards are those of the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery or the American College of Surgeons.
What it means for a claim in New Hampshire
The law sets a floor for the plans it reaches; the plan's own policy and the member's contract still decide the codes, units and referral. On the benefits call, ask whether the plan is fully insured in New Hampshire, and if a covered service is denied, name the statute by section in the appeal. The sources below link to the statute itself.
Payers with their own row for New Hampshire: Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield. The state laws side by side compare New Hampshire with other states.