New Hampshire State Sen. Tim McGough called on May 16 for legislative leaders to support a Senate amendment to HB 1554, saying it is necessary to ensure patients keep the right to peer-to-peer doctor review during insurance prior authorization processes.
The issue centers on whether a six-month effective date extension for HB 1554 will be approved. The bill would require insurance carriers to offer peer-to-peer review with a clinical peer at any stage of the prior authorization process and mandate disclosure of the reviewer’s credentials, including name, National Provider Identifier number, and specialty certification, according to LegiScan.
“HB 1554 passed the House overwhelmingly, passed the Senate unanimously, and even Chair John Hunt voted for it in committee. Now, a simple 6-month effective date extension could decide whether patients keep the right to peer-to-peer doctor review,” McGough said in a post on X. “It would be unprecedented for one chairman to kill a bill over a minor date amendment after the House clearly supported it. Call D.J. Bettencourt and Kelly Ayotte and ask them to protect patients’ rights — and tell Chairman John Hunt to concur with the Senate amendment and honor the will of the House.”
McGough is a Republican member of the New Hampshire Senate representing District 11. According to Ballotpedia, he assumed office in December 2024 after previously serving in the New Hampshire House of Representatives.
