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SB 480 New Hampshire Senate · 2026 Regular Session

limiting certain prior authorization requirements for physical therapy, occupational therapy, and similar rehabilitative services.

SB 480 prohibits health insurers from requiring prior authorization for the first 12 visits of physical therapy, occupational therapy, or similar rehabilitative services for each new health condition or condition not treated within the previous 60 days. Patients seeking these therapies and their insurers are directly affected by this change. Insurers may still deny coverage if treatment is determined not to be medically necessary. The law takes effect 60 days after enactment.
Issues: ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRemoves prior authorization barriers for therapy access, improving patient access to covered services without restricting coverage terms.92% confidence
Bill status failed 3 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Nov 2025
Committee Review
May 2026
Senate Passage
Feb 2026
House Passage
Governor
Introduced Nov 21, 2025 Last action May 14, 2026
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduced → As Amended by the Senate · 4 edits
MODERATE
The Senate amended SB 480 to significantly tighten restrictions on prior authorization for physical and occupational therapy. The bill now mandates that insurers approve at least 8 medically necessary treatments after the initial visit before requiring further review, whereas the original version only prohibited requiring authorization for the first 12 visits. Additionally, the effective date was changed from 60 days after passage to January 1, 2027, and the fiscal impact was updated to estimate an annual revenue increase of $250,000 to $1,250,000.
Scope change
The bill's scope was narrowed by removing the vague category of 'similar rehabilitative services' and explicitly defining the covered therapies as those in RSA 328-A:2, XI and RSA 326-C:1, IV.
REQUIREMENT

Changed the prior authorization rule from a blanket ban on requiring authorization for the first 12 visits to a requirement that insurers must approve at least 8 treatments after the initial evaluation before asking for more authorization.

TIMELINE

Updated the effective date from 60 days after passage to January 1, 2027.

FISCAL

Updated the fiscal note to estimate an annual state revenue increase between $250,000 and $1,250,000, reflecting higher expected costs for insurers due to reduced prior authorization barriers.

DEFINITION

Removed the broad inclusion of 'similar rehabilitative services' and now specifically references physical and occupational therapy as defined in existing state statutes.

Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
11
Key actions
4
Committee
5
May 5, 2026
Committee
Committee Report: Inexpedient to Legislate 04/29/2026 (Vote 15-0; CC) HC 19 P. 6
lower
Apr 16, 2026
Lower · Passed
Subcommittee Work Session: 04/22/2026 10:00 am GP 229
lower
Mar 16, 2026
Introduced
Introduced (in recess of) 03/12/2026 and referred to Commerce and Consumer Affairs HJ 8 P. 114
lower
Feb 26, 2026
Upper · Passed
Committee Amendment # 2026-0838s, AA, VV; 03/05/2026; SJ 5
upper
Feb 26, 2026
Upper · Passed
Ought to Pass with Amendment #2026-0838s, MA, VV; OT3rdg; 03/05/2026; SJ 5
upper
Feb 26, 2026
Upper · Passed
Committee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2026-0838s, 03/05/2026; Vote 5-0; CC; SC 8
upper
Nov 21, 2025
Introduced
Introduced 01/07/2026 and Referred to Health and Human Services; SJ 1
upper
0 primary · 12 co-sponsors

Sponsors

No sponsor information available.