A new state law requires insurers to cover continuous glucose monitoring without prior authorization—and that cost flows directly into your group health plan premiums.
Most restaurant owners don't realize that when they buy group health insurance for their staff, state-mandated benefits are baked into the cost. A new New Hampshire law—HB648, Relative to Insurance Coverage for Glucose Monitoring—adds another one, effective 60 days after passage.
Starting 60 days after the bill becomes law, insurers must cover continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) systems and supplies for patients with Type 2 diabetes and gestational diabetes. The coverage comes with no strings attached: no prior authorization, no deductible, and no requirement that patients use insulin or see an endocrinologist first.
This applies to all health plans regulated under New Hampshire's insurance code, including small-business group plans.
If you offer group health insurance to your employees, this law affects you. The mandate applies to:
In practical terms: if your insurer offers any of these plan types, the CGM benefit is mandatory, regardless of plan tier or design.
Mandatory health benefits increase the baseline cost of group coverage. Insurers pass these costs to employers through premiums. Because CGM systems and supplies are covered without prior authorization, deductibles, or gatekeeping requirements, the cost to insurers—and ultimately to you—is higher than a more restricted benefit would be.
The law doesn't specify how much premiums will rise. That depends on your insurer's claims experience, the prevalence of Type 2 and gestational diabetes among your workforce, and how many employees actually use CGM devices. But the cost is real and will appear in your renewal rates.
The benefit becomes mandatory 60 days after HB648 is signed into law (Section 5). If you renew your group plan after that date, your new plan will include this benefit. If you renew before the effective date, you may have a grace period—check with your broker or insurer.
Review your group plan renewal timeline with your insurance broker. Ask whether your current plan is affected and when. If you're shopping for coverage, factor this mandate into your cost estimates. And if you have employees with Type 2 or gestational diabetes, understand that this benefit is now part of what you're providing—no additional negotiation needed.
For a detailed breakdown of how state health mandates affect small-business group plans, speak with your broker or contact the New Hampshire Restaurant & Lodging Association.