New Hampshire Insurance Department Announces Temporary Suspension of Certain Filing Requirements to Streamline Regulatory Compliance

CONCORD, NH (March 18, 2025) – The New Hampshire Insurance Department (NHID) has announced a temporary suspension of enforcement for certain filing requirements, allowing for a reassessment of regulatory obligations that impact health carriers, licensed entities offering group health plans, and medical utilization review organizations. This decision aligns with ongoing efforts to balance consumer protection with regulatory efficiency.

The suspension applies to annual filing requirements related to utilization reviews and market conduct reports, which were originally due on April 1, 2025. Specifically, health carriers conducting utilization reviews and entities licensed for medical utilization review will not be penalized for failing to submit their annual filings for the 2025 and 2026 deadlines. While these filings will not be enforced, health carriers must continue maintaining written procedures and making them available upon request.

Similarly, NHID will not enforce the submission of annual reports detailing plan complaints, claim denials, and prior authorization statistics for the 2025 filing period. Further guidance will be issued regarding compliance expectations for the 2026 deadline and beyond. However, all health carriers remain responsible for maintaining these records and must provide them upon request from NHID.

“Rules and laws are essential for consumer protection, but excessive compliance demands can bog down progress and stifle innovation and market efficiency,” said Commissioner DJ Bettencourt. “The insurance industry must prioritize delivering quality services over being entangled in bureaucratic red tape. In alignment with Governor Ayotte’s Committee on Government Efficiency, we are re-evaluating these rules to propose updated requirements. Our goal is to achieve a balance between robust consumer protection and a streamlined approach that recognizes the power of market mechanisms.”

Additionally, NHID is suspending enforcement of the requirement for insurers to file a certificate of compliance regarding advertisements with their annual statement, as outlined in Ins 2601.18(b) and Ins 2602.09(c).

“These adjustments reflect the department’s commitment to ensuring a regulatory framework that protects consumers without imposing unnecessary administrative burdens on insurers,” said Deputy Insurance Commissioner Keith Nyhan. “By pausing enforcement of these filing requirements, we are allowing time to evaluate and refine these obligations to better serve both the industry and Granite Staters.”

The complete bulletin, Docket #INS 25-024-AB, can be viewed at https://mm.nh.gov/files/uploads/nhid/documents/20250317-ins-25-024-ab-enforcement-of-reporting.pdf.

The New Hampshire Insurance Department Can Help

The New Hampshire Insurance Department’s mission is to promote and protect the public good by ensuring the existence of a safe and competitive insurance marketplace through the development and enforcement of the insurance laws of the State of New Hampshire. Contact us with any questions or concerns you may have regarding your insurance coverage at 800-852-3416 or 603-271‐2261, or by email at consumerservices@ins.nh.gov. For more information, visit https://insurance.nh.gov/.