Healthcare

in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Jan 13, 2026

A 593: Requires practitioners to disclose business relationship with out-of-State facilities when making patient referrals to those facilities.

This New Jersey bill requires doctors and podiatrists to inform patients in writing before referring them to an out-of-state health care facility if they have a financial or business relationship with that facility. The disclosure must detail the nature of the relationship, list comparable in-state facilities (in the patient's county and neighboring counties), and explain potential higher costs if the facility is out-of-network or involves additional transportation. Patients must receive this written notice at the time of referral, and practitioners must also post a summary of the disclosure in their office and on their website. The goal is to provide transparency about referral decisions and financial implications without restricting patient choice.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRequires disclosure of financial relationships in referrals to protect patient rights, prevent unexpected costs, and improve transparency in healthcare decision-making.85% confidence

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passed · New Jersey · General Assembly May 4, 2026

A 2259: Authorizes hospital patient with developmental disabilities to have designated family member, guardian, direct support professional, or other caregiver accompany patient throughout hospital stay.

This bill grants patients with developmental disabilities in New Jersey hospitals the right to have a designated family member, guardian, direct support professional (DSP), or other caregiver accompany them throughout their entire hospital stay. Hospitals must provide an opportunity to make this designation at admission and document it in the medical record, with changes allowed upon 1-hour notice. The right does not apply during active surgery if the caregiver's presence would endanger the patient. It directly affects patients with developmental disabilities, their designated caregivers, and New Jersey hospitals. The bill takes effect immediately upon passage.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill explicitly grants patients with developmental disabilities the right to have a caregiver present during hospital stays, improving patient access and protecting patient rights in healthcare settings.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Hospitals

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in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Jan 13, 2026

A 3862: Excludes donations up to $15,000 when determining income eligibility for applicants to the Catastrophic Illness in Children Relief Fund program.

This bill modifies New Jersey's Catastrophic Illness in Children Relief Fund program by excluding up to $15,000 in community donations from a parent's or legal guardian's income when determining eligibility. The excluded donations must support "family living expenses" like travel, lodging, meals, and other costs directly tied to a child's catastrophic illness care. It ensures families receiving community fundraising aid for these specific expenses won't be disqualified from the program due to those funds. Current law did not allow such income exclusions, making this a direct policy change to support affected families.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExcludes donations from income calculation, ensuring families with community fundraising for medical expenses qualify for the Catastrophic Illness Relief Fund, expanding access to healthcare support.95% confidence

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in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Jan 13, 2026

A 3323: Establishes certain protections for persons providing, receiving, and allowing children to receive gender-affirming health care.

This bill (A 3323) amends New Jersey's child custody jurisdiction law to protect families seeking gender-affirming health care for children. It adds that a child's presence in New Jersey for gender-affirming care (as defined in pending legislation) satisfies the legal requirement for a court to have jurisdiction over custody matters. This means parents or guardians can seek custody decisions in New Jersey if a child is receiving necessary care here, without needing to prove other connections to the state. The bill does not change health care standards but addresses jurisdictional barriers for families traveling for treatment. The bill was introduced on January 13, 2026, and referred to the Assembly Health Committee.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill protects access to gender-affirming health care by ensuring NJ courts can handle custody matters for children receiving such care, advancing patient access and rights in healthcare services.95% confidence

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in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Feb 19, 2026

A 4312: Grants children placed in resource family care right to have certain signage displayed in home.

This bill grants children placed in resource family care (foster care) the right to have visible signage displayed in their home. Specifically, it requires three conspicuous signs listing contact information for child abuse hotlines and mental health services. The signage must be placed in clear view within the home, making it accessible to children who may need immediate assistance. This change directly affects children in foster care placements across New Jersey, ensuring they have clear access to support resources.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRequires mental health service contact info in foster care homes, directly improving access to mental health resources for children in care.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Mental Health

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in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Mar 9, 2026

A 1970: Enters New Jersey in Women's Reproductive Health Care Compact.

This bill allows New Jersey to join the Women's Reproductive Health Care Compact, a multi-state agreement. The compact requires member states to work together to protect patients and providers who seek or provide reproductive health care across state lines. Key provisions include preventing extradition or investigations against those involved in care, blocking forced disclosure of medical records, stopping penalties against providers (like license suspensions or insurance hikes), and banning data collection about patients' travel, costs, or barriers to care. It directly affects New Jersey residents traveling for care, out-of-state providers serving New Jersey patients, and medical facilities operating across participating states. The compact does not change New Jersey's own abortion laws but focuses on interstate cooperation to safeguard access.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareProtects reproductive health care access and provider protections across state lines, preventing restrictions on services and medical records disclosure, aligning with healthcare access and patient rights indicators.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Women's Health

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in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Jan 13, 2026

A 2223: Provides for voluntary contributions for taxpayers on gross income tax returns to support reproductive health care services.

This bill creates a voluntary contribution option on New Jersey's gross income tax returns, allowing taxpayers to direct part of their refund or add a contribution to the "New Jersey Reproductive Health Care Equitable Access Fund." Funds collected would be distributed equally each year to the three largest providers of reproductive health care services for Medicaid patients, to cover costs for low-income individuals seeking services. The bill defines "reproductive health care services" to include medical, surgical, counseling, and referral services related to pregnancy or pregnancy termination. It applies to tax returns for years beginning after enactment, with no requirement for taxpayer participation.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesCreates voluntary tax contribution mechanism to fund reproductive health care services, directly advancing public program funding through tax revenue allocation.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill creates voluntary tax contributions to fund reproductive health care services for Medicaid patients, expanding access and increasing funding for healthcare services.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Income Tax Medicaid Women's Health

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in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Jan 13, 2026

A 919: Requires certain NJ FamilyCare providers to provide information to, and obtain consent form from, parent or guardian of child that provider is prescribing antipsychotic drug.

This bill (A 919) requires NJ FamilyCare providers to share specific information with parents or guardians before prescribing psychotropic drugs (like stimulants, anti-anxiety, or anti-psychotic medications) to children under 18 enrolled in the program. Providers must give the drug’s FDA-approved Medication Guide, details on evidence-based treatment alternatives, and instructions for accessing FDA safety reporting tools (like MedWatch). They must then obtain a signed consent form confirming parents understand risks, alternatives, and how to report side effects, and retain this form in the child’s medical record. The law directly affects NJ FamilyCare providers and the parents/guardians of minor patients receiving these medications.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRequires informed parental consent for pediatric psychotropic prescriptions, protecting patient rights and enhancing safety protocols in healthcare delivery.95% confidence

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in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Jan 13, 2026

A 1791: Establishes special probation drug court eligibility for persons with certain previous criminal convictions.

This New Jersey bill (A 1791) creates a new "special probation" option for drug and alcohol-dependent individuals convicted of certain non-violent offenses who would otherwise face mandatory prison time. It allows courts to place eligible defendants on 5 years of probation requiring treatment at a licensed facility, instead of incarceration, if they meet strict criteria: they must have been dependent at the time of the offense (committed while under influence or to support addiction), have no prior violent convictions (murder, assault, etc.), no firearm involvement, and no recent serious drug distribution offenses. The program requires professional assessment, treatment compliance, and urine testing, while excluding those with multiple prior first/second-degree crimes or violent histories. The bill is currently pending in the Assembly Judiciary Committee.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeReplaces mandatory prison with treatment-focused probation for eligible drug offenders, promoting rehabilitation over incarceration and reducing recidivism.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRequires treatment at licensed facility for substance abuse, advancing healthcare access for addiction treatment as alternative to incarceration.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections Drug Policy Probation & Parole Substance Abuse

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in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Jan 13, 2026

A 3543: Revises certain requirements for individual and small employer health benefits plans and for small employer members of multiple employer welfare arrangements.

This bill revises New Jersey's health insurance rules to make premiums more equitable for individuals and small businesses. It requires insurers to use "community rating" for certain plans, meaning premiums must be the same for all people in a plan regardless of age, health status, or location. The bill also defines "creditable coverage" to help people transition between health plans without facing higher costs due to prior health conditions. It directly affects individuals buying individual health insurance and small employers offering health benefits to their staff.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareImplements community rating to prevent health/age-based premium discrimination and defines creditable coverage for seamless plan transitions, expanding access and protecting patient rights.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill mandates community rating for health plans, preventing premium discrimination based on health status or age, directly protecting workers' access to equitable health benefits as part of employment standards.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Insurance

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