A provision in New Hampshire's HB648 removes insurance barriers for diabetes monitoring devices—and your small-business health plan will likely pay the difference.
Most New Hampshire restaurant owners don't realize that a health insurance provision buried in HB648 will affect what they pay for employee group health coverage. The bill, which addresses glucose monitoring insurance coverage, contains a requirement that will increase premiums for fully insured small-business plans statewide.
HB648 mandates that health insurers cover continuous glucose monitoring systems and related supplies for patients with Type 2 diabetes and gestational diabetes. That part is straightforward. The buried provision is the mechanism: insurers must provide this coverage with no prior authorization process and no deductible.
Prior authorization and deductibles are the two primary tools insurers use to manage costs and shift expenses to employers and patients. Removing both eliminates those barriers entirely.
If your restaurant operates a fully insured group health plan in New Hampshire, this applies to you. Self-insured plans (typically available only to larger employers) are exempt. The requirement covers all health insurance policies issued or renewed in the state, including small-group plans.
The provision takes effect 60 days after the bill's passage and has no sunset date—meaning it's permanent.
When insurers absorb costs they previously shifted through prior authorization delays or deductibles, they recover that money through higher premiums. For small-business owners, this typically means your renewal rates will reflect the added cost of covering glucose monitoring devices and supplies without those gatekeeping mechanisms.
The size of the impact depends on your workforce's health profile and your current plan design. A restaurant with younger employees may see a smaller increase than one with an older workforce. But the increase is real and built into how insurers price plans going forward.
The requirement appears in three sections of New Hampshire law:
All three sections impose identical requirements: no prior authorization and no deductible for continuous glucose monitoring coverage.
If you renew your group health plan after the 60-day effective date, ask your broker or insurer directly whether your rates reflect this change. Request a comparison of your previous year's premium to understand the specific impact. Some insurers may bundle the cost into general rate increases; others may itemize it separately.
This is one of several recent state mandates affecting group health plan costs. Understanding which mandates apply to your plan helps you budget accurately and make informed decisions about coverage options.
The Restaurant Association of New Hampshire and other trade groups have published detailed guides to state health insurance requirements for small-business owners. A free, restaurant-specific summary of HB648's impact is available through your industry association.