Healthcare

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

A 3077: Requires hospitals to perform psychological and psychiatric evaluations on certain patients and requires health insurance coverage for such evaluations.

This bill requires New Jersey hospitals to provide mental health evaluations to patients treated for drug overdoses before discharge. It mandates that all health insurance plans - including hospital service contracts, medical service contracts, and individual/group policies - cover these evaluations at the same level as other medical treatments. The law directly affects hospitals, insurers, and patients recovering from drug overdoses in New Jersey. It ensures coverage for these evaluations without additional cost-sharing, applying to all relevant insurance contracts issued or renewed in the state.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates insurance coverage for mental health evaluations post-overdose, expanding access to mental health services under healthcare coverage95% confidence

Sub-Topics Hospitals Mental Health Substance Abuse

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

A 921: Prohibits health insurance carriers from placing time limit on anesthesia services used for medical or surgical procedures.

This bill prohibits New Jersey health insurance carriers from imposing time limits on anesthesia services provided during medical or surgical procedures. It requires coverage to be based on actual time used (defined as when a licensed anesthesiologist or nurse anesthetist is present with the patient), calculated using a formula combining base units and time units multiplied by a network-specific conversion factor. The law directly affects patients requiring extended anesthesia due to complications, surgical delays, or training scenarios, and ensures coverage isn't denied based on arbitrary duration. It aligns with standard medical billing practices by banning exclusions of "anesthesia time" and requiring continuous coverage during procedures.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill prohibits time limits on anesthesia coverage, ensuring patients receive necessary services without insurance restrictions. This expands coverage and protects patient access to critical care services.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Healthcare Workforce Insurance

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

A 2251: Establishes limited medical benefit program for individuals losing NJ FamilyCare coverage under "One Big Beautiful Bill Act"; establishes medical relief fund in Treasury; appropriates funds.

This bill creates a temporary medical relief program in New Jersey for individuals who lose NJ FamilyCare coverage due to specific provisions of the federal "One Big Beautiful Bill Act" (OBBBA). It establishes a state fund to provide eligible individuals with an electronic payment card for qualifying medical services like emergency care, prescriptions, and behavioral health - covering costs up to a 12-month period. The program automatically enrolls affected residents provisionally upon disenrollment, with benefits determined annually based on available funds. Unspent benefits after 12 months must be returned to the state Treasury, and the program does not replace comprehensive health insurance.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill appropriates state funds to establish a medical relief program, funding essential healthcare services for vulnerable residents losing coverage.90% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareCreates state medical relief fund providing emergency care, prescriptions, and behavioral health access for NJ FamilyCare enrollees losing coverage, maintaining healthcare access during federal transition.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Insurance Mental Health

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

A 2688: Prohibits mandatory vaccination against COVID-19 as condition of attending public K-12 schools.

This bill prohibits New Jersey state health officials and other government entities from requiring students to receive a COVID-19 vaccine as a condition of attending public K-12 schools. It directly affects all students and schools in New Jersey's public elementary and secondary education system. The law bans any state requirement for SARS-CoV-2 vaccination to attend school, removing a potential mandate. The bill would take effect immediately upon enactment.

Topics ✗ HealthcareOpposes HealthcareBill prohibits mandatory school vaccination (a public health program), restricting a requirement for SARS-CoV-2 vaccination to attend school, directly limiting a healthcare-related mandate.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Public Health

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

A 1962: Establishes cap on amount that hospital can charge patients for laboratory services to 150% of Medicare.

This bill sets a 150% cap on hospital charges for laboratory services, limiting what hospitals can bill patients to 150% of the federal Medicare payment rate for those services. It applies to patients who do not qualify for the existing 115% cap under P.L.2008, c.60 (which covers uninsured patients with family income under 500% of the federal poverty level). Hospitals must adhere to this 150% limit for all laboratory services provided to qualifying patients, excluding those already covered by the lower 115% threshold. The policy change specifically targets lab service billing and does not affect other hospital charges or services.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareCaps hospital lab charges at 150% of Medicare, preventing excessive billing and protecting patients from high costs for essential services.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Hospitals Medicare

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in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Feb 24, 2026

A 4482: Establishes Statewide tele-psychiatry program within DHS; appropriates $4 million.

This bill establishes a Statewide tele-psychiatry program within New Jersey's Department of Human Services, appropriating $4 million to provide real-time psychiatric assessments and treatment for patients in mental health or substance abuse crises. The program connects hospitals (referring sites) with licensed mental health providers (consulting providers) via video or audio, enabling timely care without requiring patients to travel. The Department must contract with a partner to implement the program statewide within three years, monitor its operation through annual site visits, and report yearly to the Governor and Legislature on metrics like assessment volumes, patient stays, and changes in involuntary commitments. It specifically requires facilitating linkages with critical access and small rural hospitals to expand access to psychiatric services.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAppropriates $4M for tele-psychiatry program, directly funding a new public health service within state budget.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill appropriates $4M for statewide tele-psychiatry program, improving mental health access via real-time virtual care for crisis patients without travel barriers.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Mental Health Substance Abuse

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

A 1693: Requires institutions of higher education to maintain supply and develop policy governing use of naloxone hydrochloride nasal spray for opioid overdose emergencies.

This bill requires New Jersey colleges and universities to maintain a supply of naloxone nasal spray (for opioid overdose emergencies) in secure, accessible campus locations and develop a campus policy for its emergency use. It directly affects institutions of higher education, licensed campus medical staff, and designated campus personnel like resident assistants who may administer naloxone after required training. Key provisions include mandating hospital transport for overdose victims after naloxone use, permitting trained non-medical staff to administer the drug in good faith, and providing liability protection for those acting in compliance with the law. The policy must be developed with guidance from the state’s higher education and human services departments.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates naloxone availability for opioid overdose emergencies on campuses, directly improving emergency medical response and public health access to life-saving treatment.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Hospitals Substance Abuse

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died · New Jersey · General Assembly Jan 13, 2026

A 2161: Makes supplemental appropriation of $615,000 to DHS for grant to NJ 2-1-1 Partnership.

This bill would provide $615,000 in additional state funding to the NJ 2-1-1 Partnership, a statewide service that connects residents to human services like food assistance, housing support, and mental health resources through a free 24/7 phone hotline. The funds would be allocated within the Department of Human Services' budget specifically for the Partnership's ongoing operational costs to maintain its 2-1-1 service. Since 2002, the NJ 2-1-1 Partnership has been the sole provider of New Jersey's 2-1-1 dialing code, serving all residents statewide. This is a routine budgetary measure to sustain an existing community resource, not a new policy.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesProvides $615k supplemental appropriation to DHS for NJ 2-1-1 Partnership's operational costs, increasing state funding for public human services.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareFunds $615k for NJ 2-1-1 Partnership's mental health resources hotline, directly supporting access to mental health services.95% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingFunds NJ 2-1-1 Partnership's housing support services, connecting residents to housing resources via hotline.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Appropriations Mental Health

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

A 2507: Establishes Firefighter Critical Mental Health Assistance Grant Program; appropriates $1 million.

This bill establishes the Firefighter Critical Mental Health Assistance Grant Program within New Jersey's Department of Human Services, appropriating $1 million to fund confidential mental health services. It directly affects full-time firefighters and their immediate family members (spouses, domestic partners, children, or parents living in the same household) who are experiencing a mental health crisis or suicidal thoughts. The program awards grants to licensed mental health providers, requiring the Commissioner of Human Services to develop application processes, prioritize providers within one hour of travel distance for patients, and maintain an online list of approved providers. The grant funding aims to overcome barriers preventing firefighters from seeking help due to fears of professional repercussions.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareFunds mental health services for firefighters via $1M grant program, directly supporting mental health care access and crisis intervention.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Mental Health

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

A 1006: Revises statutory obligations of Advisory Graduate Medical Education Council of New Jersey.

This bill revises the structure and responsibilities of New Jersey's Advisory Graduate Medical Education Council. It directs the Council to report directly to the Department of Health (instead of the Commission on Higher Education) and expands its duties to develop a five-year strategic plan, create an annual funding guide for stakeholders, coordinate with federal programs like rural residency initiatives, and establish metrics to measure workforce outcomes. The Council must now annually report to the Governor and Legislature on medical workforce needs, funding allocations across hospitals (by specialty and location), whether funding achieves health outcomes, and recommendations for addressing shortages in underserved areas. This affects hospitals receiving graduate medical education funding and state health policymakers who use the Council's reports to guide budget decisions.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExpands Council duties to develop strategic plan, funding guide, and metrics for medical workforce, strengthening healthcare infrastructure95% confidence

Sub-Topics Healthcare Workforce

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