Healthcare

in committee · New Jersey · Senate Jan 13, 2026

S 2989: Requires automatic enrollment of certain persons recently ineligible for Medicaid in health benefits plan; requires DHS to electronically publish certain data regarding NJ FamilyCare eligibility renewals and call center performance.

This bill automatically enrolls New Jersey residents who lose Medicaid due to income changes (but lack employer-based health coverage) into a state health insurance plan through the NJ FamilyCare exchange. It requires the Department of Human Services to share eligibility data with the Department of Banking and Insurance, triggering enrollment in the lowest-cost silver plan (for incomes ≤200% of federal poverty level) or best-value plan (for higher incomes) before Medicaid ends. The bill also mandates that the state publicly post monthly data on NJ FamilyCare renewal processing times, call center wait times, and eligibility termination reasons. These changes directly affect individuals transitioning from Medicaid to private coverage due to income shifts.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareAutomatically enrolls Medicaid-eligible individuals losing coverage due to income changes into state health plans, preventing coverage gaps and expanding access to insurance through NJ FamilyCare.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Insurance Medicaid

Track

in committee · New Jersey · Senate Jan 13, 2026

S 2984: Requires procurement of management support and other services for certain nursing homes.

This bill (S 2984) requires New Jersey nursing homes with serious or repeated violations of health, safety, and care standards to hire or contract with a management monitor or vendor at their own expense. The Department of Health may mandate this support to remedy violations, transition ownership, ensure safe closure, or prevent operations from stopping. The monitor can attend facility meetings, hire consultants, access records (per privacy laws), and take actions to protect resident health and safety. The law applies only to facilities identified by the Department as having substantial or habitual violations, not all nursing homes.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates management oversight for nursing homes with health/safety violations to protect resident health and ensure care standards, directly advancing patient safety protections.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Long-Term Care

Track

in committee · New Jersey · Senate Jan 13, 2026

S 1610: Requires regional diagnostic and treatment center for child abuse and neglect to establish mobile team to respond to certain hospital requests to perform forensic child abuse examinations.

This bill requires New Jersey's four regional child abuse treatment centers to create 24/7 mobile teams that respond to hospital requests for specialized medical evaluations of children under 13 suspected of abuse or neglect. Hospitals must contact the county-based center when a child under 13 is referred by a school nurse, doctor, or family for abuse investigations, or presents with unexplained injuries inconsistent with their age. The mobile teams - staffed with medical and mental health professionals - will conduct forensic examinations directly at hospitals, replacing current center-based visits. The state will fund these mobile teams through the Department of Children and Families, with implementation required within 180 days of enactment.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill mandates mobile medical teams for forensic child abuse exams, expanding specialized healthcare access for vulnerable children under 13.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Healthcare Workforce Hospitals Mental Health

Track

in committee · New Jersey · Senate Jan 13, 2026

S 2657: Requires child abuse reporting hotline maintained by DCPP to provide information on resources available to victims and families.

This bill amends New Jersey's child abuse reporting hotline requirement to ensure the Division of Child Protection and Permanency (DCPP) provides callers with information about existing community resources for victims of child abuse or neglect and their families. It directs DCPP to share details on services like counseling, parenting programs, substance abuse treatment, and foster care that are already contracted through community agencies. The change applies to all calls to the emergency hotline, helping families access support more directly without creating new programs or altering service availability.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill directs hotline to provide info on counseling, substance abuse treatment, and mental health resources, improving access to existing healthcare services.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Substance Abuse

Track

in committee · New Jersey · Senate Feb 9, 2026

S 1772: Requires DOH to develop Statewide Emergency Medical Services Plan.

This bill requires New Jersey's Department of Health (DOH) to create and maintain a comprehensive Statewide Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Plan. The plan must include regional strategies developed with county health boards, assess current EMS resources and effectiveness, set performance goals for response times and access, and establish metrics for improvement. It directly affects all emergency medical services providers across New Jersey and aims to improve emergency care for all residents by reducing response times, expanding access to high-quality care, and coordinating ambulance, hospital, and trauma center services. The DOH must update the plan every three years and make it publicly available online.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRequires DOH to develop EMS plan with performance metrics to improve emergency care access and response times, strengthening healthcare infrastructure.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Hospitals Tags Public Safety

Track

in committee · New Jersey · Senate Jan 13, 2026

S 1015: Creates office to advocate for consumers on insurance issues.

This bill creates the Office of the New Jersey Consumer Insurance Advocate within the Division of Insurance. The advocate, appointed by the Governor with Senate approval for a four-year term, will represent consumers before state government branches on all insurance matters covered by New Jersey law. The position requires a bachelor's degree and five years of experience in property/casualty or life/health insurance. This office directly serves New Jersey consumers by providing dedicated advocacy on insurance issues, including before the Legislature and courts. The advocate will focus on consumer interests across all insurance lines regulated in the state.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareCreates consumer insurance advocate office to protect healthcare insurance rights and improve access, directly strengthening consumer protections in insurance coverage.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Insurance

Track

in committee · New Jersey · Senate Jan 13, 2026

S 710: Waives 15 day waiting period for medical aid in dying under certain circumstances.

This bill waives the 15-day waiting period for terminally ill patients in New Jersey who, based on reasonable medical certainty, are not expected to survive 15 days. It directly affects qualified terminally ill patients seeking medical aid in dying under the existing 2019 law. The waiver applies only when a physician documents the medical basis for the patient's limited survival timeframe, while retaining the 48-hour waiting period after a written request. The law does not change other requirements like two oral requests or physician consultations about palliative care options.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareWaives 15-day waiting period for terminally ill patients seeking medical aid in dying, improving access to end-of-life healthcare under specific medical conditions.92% confidence

Track

in committee · New Jersey · Senate Jan 13, 2026

S 493: Increases personal needs allowance to $100 for low-income persons residing in certain facilities.

S 493 increases the monthly personal needs allowance (PNA) from $50 to $100 for low-income residents in nursing homes, state psychiatric hospitals, and state developmental centers who receive Medicaid or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits. This allowance allows residents to spend money on personal items like phone calls, meals out, clothing, or hobbies - not facility costs. The bill amends two existing statutes (P.L.1985, c.286 and P.L.1973, c.256) to raise the minimum PNA amount and requires adjustments to state payments for SSI recipients. The change doubles the current allowance under New Jersey law, aligning with the state's obligation to supplement federal SSI benefits.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareIncreases PNA for Medicaid/SSI recipients in healthcare facilities, enhancing personal spending access for quality-of-life items like meals/clothing within care settings.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Medicaid Mental Health

Track

in committee · New Jersey · Senate Jan 13, 2026

S 284: Requires Medicaid coverage for self-administered hormonal contraceptives dispensed by pharmacist under standing order.

This bill (S 284) requires New Jersey Medicaid to cover self-administered hormonal contraceptives dispensed by pharmacists under a standing order. It directly affects Medicaid beneficiaries who use hormonal contraceptives, expanding access by allowing pharmacists to provide these medications without a separate prescription for each use. The key mechanism is amending Medicaid rules to include contraceptives dispensed under a pre-approved standing order protocol, which streamlines access while maintaining medical oversight. This change aligns with existing Medicaid coverage for other prescription drugs and aims to reduce barriers to contraceptive care.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates Medicaid coverage for pharmacist-dispensed contraceptives, expanding access and coverage for beneficiaries without separate prescriptions.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Medicaid

Track

in committee · New Jersey · Senate Jan 13, 2026

S 2652: Expands entities that may acquire opioid antidotes; creates program within DOH and formalizes reporting requirements.

This bill expands who can legally obtain opioid antidotes (like naloxone) in New Jersey, specifically allowing public libraries, schools, colleges, and public transportation hubs to access them. It creates a new program within the Department of Health to set standards for distributing and using these antidotes, including mandatory training and record-keeping. The bill also requires doctors to provide an opioid antidote with the first opioid prescription in a year for patients with specific high-risk factors, such as a history of substance use or concurrent use of opioids and sedatives. These changes aim to increase accessibility and standardize response to opioid overdoses while formalizing reporting requirements for the Department of Health.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExpands access to opioid antidotes in public spaces (libraries, schools), mandates training/record-keeping, and requires doctors to provide antidotes with initial opioid prescriptions - enhancing overdose prevention and public health access.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Substance Abuse

Track