New Hampshire Approves Study to Enhance Women’s Health Insurance Coverage
New Hampshire's Executive Council unanimously approved a contract to study ways to improve women's access to health services, particularly focusing on private insurance coverage and postpartum care. This decision reverses an earlier rejection of the contract following lobbying efforts and advocacy from women's health groups and key council members. The study aims to evaluate compliance with federal and state requirements, specifically the Affordable Care Act mandates covering services such as breastfeeding support, gestational diabetes screening, maternal depression, and domestic violence counseling.
Alongside this, the Council approved a complementary contract empowering state insurance regulators to enforce health insurers' adherence to mandated women's health services. Concerns over potential premium increases led to initial resistance, with some councilors advocating amendments to ensure no premium hikes for individuals and small businesses. Public input and advocacy played a vital role in overturning prior opposition, highlighting the impact of maternity ward closures on rural populations.
The New Hampshire Women’s Foundation highlighted the importance of bipartisan support and women’s leadership in advancing comprehensive and affordable women's healthcare. Stories shared by constituents, including experiences of inadequate postpartum support, have underscored the need for enhanced coverage and accountability. The contractors tasked with this study have until September 2026 to deliver recommendations.
This development reflects broader regulatory and insurance market dynamics focused on closing coverage gaps in women's health and enhancing insurer accountability. It underscores state-level initiatives to align insurance offerings with federal mandates and respond to community health needs effectively. The study's outcomes may influence policy adjustments ensuring insurers provide mandated health services without increasing costs, an important consideration for payer and provider stakeholders.