Legislation

New Hampshire , Legislation , Health Care Access

N.H. Stat. § 151-I:2, effective in 2017, permits a caring facility to petition the court for the appointment of a Special Medicaid Representative where the patient has not paid the costs of care and the facility believes the patient would be eligible for Medicaid. Subsection (e) provides that in a hearing to determine whether to appoint such a representative:

Unless the person is represented by private counsel or makes a knowing, voluntary, and intelligent waiver, the court shall appoint counsel, the fees and costs for which shall be paid from the estate of the person or, upon a finding that the person is indigent, from the care facility; provided, however, that such fees and costs are reasonable and approved by the court and further provided that in no event shall the fees and costs of such counsel exceed $900 in the aggregate. The said fees and costs may also be paid by the care facility by agreement.

Appointment of Counsel: Yes
Qualified: Yes
? If "yes", the established right to counsel or discretionary appointment of counsel is limited in some way, including any of: the only authority is a lower/intermediate court decision or a city council, not a high court or state legislature; there has been a subsequent case that has cast doubt; a statute is ambiguous; or the right or discretionary appointment is not for all types of individuals or proceedings within that category.