New Hampshire House Bill HB1562

New Hampshire 2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 12/10/25
• Refer: 12/10/25
• Report Pass: 2/25/26
• Report DNP: 2/25/26

Caption

relative to licensing requirements for health care facilities that operate on a membership-based business model.

Summary

HB 1562 would create a licensing and regulatory carveout for certain health care facilities that operate on a membership-based business model or that serve only patients who pay directly out of pocket. Under the bill, those facilities would be exempt from the existing moratorium on new licenses and increased bed capacity for certain nursing, skilled nursing, intermediate care, and rehabilitation facilities. The bill also exempts these direct-pay or membership-based rehabilitation facilities from several existing policy requirements in RSA 151:2-f, including the requirement to serve all persons regardless of source of payment. The bill further creates a new patients’ bill of rights for direct-pay and membership-based facilities. That section largely mirrors standard patient-rights protections already found in state law, including rights to dignity, informed consent, privacy, grievance procedures, freedom from abuse and restraints, access to records, and nondiscrimination. It also requires disclosure of pricing and services, and it preserves the ability to discharge patients for nonpayment, medical reasons, or facility closure. In addition, the Department of Health and Human Services would be required to study the impact of direct-pay models on New Hampshire’s health care system and report back by June 30, 2027.

Impact

HB 1562 would amend RSA 151 to narrow the reach of the state’s health facility licensing moratorium and related policy requirements for a defined class of facilities. It would specifically exempt membership-based and direct-pay rehabilitation facilities from the moratorium and from the requirement that licensed facilities provide services regardless of payment source. The bill also adds a new statutory patient-rights section for these facilities and directs DHHS to conduct a study, which could create administrative costs and potentially affect licensing fee revenue and general fund spending depending on implementation.

Sentiment

Based on the bill text and available context, the measure appears generally supportive of expanding direct-pay and membership-based health care models while preserving baseline patient protections. The inclusion of a detailed patient bill of rights suggests an effort to address consumer and patient-safety concerns alongside deregulation. No committee transcript or vote record was provided, so there is no documented floor or committee sentiment beyond the bill’s structure and sponsorship.

Contention

The main point of contention is likely the bill’s exemption of direct-pay and membership-based facilities from existing licensing restrictions and from the rule requiring facilities to serve patients regardless of payment source. Supporters are likely to view this as promoting access, innovation, and flexibility in health care delivery, especially for rehabilitation and similar services. Opponents may argue that the carveout weakens consumer protections, could reduce access for patients who rely on insurance or public coverage, and creates a separate regulatory track for facilities serving wealthier or self-pay patients. The study requirement appears intended to inform those policy debates by examining the broader system effects of direct-pay models.