Healthcare

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

A 2844: 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 and neglect treatment centers to establish 24/7 mobile teams that respond to hospital requests for forensic examinations of pediatric patients under 13. Hospitals must contact their county's center when a child meets specific criteria: (1) referred by a school nurse, pediatrician, or caregiver for suspected abuse, or (2) presenting injuries inconsistent with their explanation or developmental level. The mobile teams will perform examinations at the hospital, and the state will appropriate funds to support this service. Centers must also develop hospital contact protocols and train staff on abuse identification.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates 24/7 mobile teams for forensic child abuse exams, improving access to specialized healthcare services for vulnerable pediatric patients.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Children's Health Healthcare Workforce Hospitals

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

A 3332: Requires Medicaid coverage of social day care services for senior citizens.

This bill requires New Jersey's Medicaid program to cover social adult day care services for seniors aged 60 and older who meet the clinical, income, and asset requirements for the state's Medicaid Managed Long Term Services and Supports (MLTSS) program. It expands current coverage - previously limited to MLTSS enrollees - by mandating Medicaid coverage regardless of MLTSS enrollment. Social adult day care is defined as non-medical, community-based care provided during daytime hours when caregivers are unavailable, designed to support seniors with functional impairments. The bill also requires the state to seek federal Medicaid waivers for funding, with implementation pending federal approval.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExpands Medicaid coverage for senior day care services, removing prior MLTSS enrollment requirement to improve access to non-medical care for seniors.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Medicaid

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

A 731: Provides gross income tax deduction for senior citizens for certain medical expenses for in-home care or care in assisted living and long-term care facilities and funeral expenses.

This bill allows New Jersey taxpayers aged 62 or older, or who are blind or disabled, to claim a gross income tax deduction for qualified long-term care expenses (up to $50,000 per year) for themselves, their spouse, or disabled dependents. These expenses cover in-home care, assisted living, and long-term care facility services that are medically necessary and prescribed by a licensed health care provider. It also provides a separate deduction (up to $50,000) for unreimbursed funeral expenses of a spouse or disabled dependent who was 62 or older, blind, or disabled at death. The deduction excludes expenses already covered under existing medical expense tax rules and requires the costs to be unreimbursed.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesProvides tax deduction for seniors' medical expenses, reducing taxable income and offering tax relief for lower-income seniors.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareProvides tax deductions for medically necessary senior healthcare expenses, reducing financial barriers and improving access to in-home/long-term care services.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Income Tax Long-Term Care

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

A 2864: Establishes "New Jersey Right to Try-Plus Act" permitting terminally ill patients access to certain investigational and off-label treatments.

This bill permits terminally ill New Jersey patients (with a 12-month life expectancy) to access investigational drugs, biological products, or devices (post-phase 1 clinical trials) and FDA-approved treatments used off-label for their condition. Patients must consult with a licensed NJ physician, consider all FDA-approved options first, and provide written consent. Manufacturers may supply these treatments without charge or require patient payment for manufacturing costs, but are not required to provide them. Hospitals must administer FDA-approved drugs off-label upon patient request, and participating physicians receive liability protection for adverse outcomes.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill improves patient access to investigational/off-label treatments for terminally ill patients, aligning with healthcare access indicators without restrictions.95% confidence

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

A 996: Requires health insurers to provide coverage for testing for suspected dyslexia.

This bill requires all health insurance plans in New Jersey (including individual, group, and small employer plans) to cover comprehensive neuropsychological testing for suspected dyslexia. It mandates that insurers cannot exclude this coverage, ensuring testing for diagnosis and related psychological/emotional assessments is provided at the same level as other medical conditions. The law applies to all covered health insurance contracts issued or renewed in New Jersey after its effective date, directly affecting patients seeking dyslexia evaluations and insurers offering these plans. It does not create new funding but requires existing insurance policies to include this specific service. The bill is currently pending before the Assembly Financial Institutions and Insurance Committee.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates insurance coverage for dyslexia testing, expanding access to diagnostic services under health insurance requirements95% confidence

Sub-Topics Insurance

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

A 2201: Authorizes health care professionals to engage in the use of remote patient monitoring devices; requires health care insurance coverage by certain insurers for remote patient monitoring devices.

This New Jersey bill (A-2201) requires health insurance companies to cover remote patient monitoring devices - like those tracking vital signs - from patients' homes on the same terms as in-person medical visits. It mandates that insurers pay the same reimbursement rate for remote monitoring as they would for in-person care and cannot charge higher deductibles, copays, or coinsurance for these services. The law also prohibits insurers from restricting how providers use technology (e.g., audio-only calls) or limiting coverage for routine remote check-ins, as long as care standards match in-person services. This directly affects health insurers, patients using remote monitoring, and healthcare providers delivering these services in New Jersey.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates insurers cover remote monitoring devices at same rate as in-person visits, expanding patient access without higher costs or restrictions.95% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyMandates insurance coverage for remote patient monitoring devices, requires equal reimbursement, and prohibits restrictions on technology use, advancing healthcare technology adoption.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Insurance Telehealth

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

A 721: Enacts "Anthony Maruca's Law"; requires law enforcement officers to carry epinephrine.

This bill, "Anthony Maruca's Law," requires New Jersey law enforcement officers to complete training on administering epinephrine auto-injectors and carry one device during official duties. It mandates that police departments provide each officer with a one-dose epinephrine auto-injector device, to be stored in patrol vehicles or medical supply kits per health department guidelines. The law directly affects all sworn law enforcement officers in New Jersey who perform duties requiring emergency response. It creates a concrete policy change by ensuring officers have immediate access to epinephrine for anaphylaxis emergencies during their work.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRequires law enforcement to carry epinephrine for anaphylaxis treatment, improving emergency medical response access and patient outcomes.75% confidence

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

A 2604: Requires private health insurers, SHBP, SEHBP, Medicaid, and NJ FamilyCare to cover wigs under certain circumstances.

This bill requires private health insurers, the State Health Benefits Program (SHBP), State Employees Health Benefits Program (SEHBP), Medicaid, and NJ FamilyCare to cover the cost of wigs when prescribed by a dermatologist, oncologist, or physician for medical reasons. Insurers must cover wigs as "durable medical equipment" for subscribers diagnosed with illness, chronic conditions, or injury, provided the doctor certifies medical necessity. Coverage is limited to once every 36 months and cannot be restricted to chemotherapy patients only. The law applies to all health insurance contracts delivered, issued, or renewed in New Jersey after its effective date.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates insurers to cover medically necessary wigs as durable medical equipment, expanding health insurance benefits for patients with qualifying conditions.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Insurance Medicaid

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

A 1243: Grants municipal courts discretion to assess court costs for certain dismissals.

This bill (A 1243) allows New Jersey municipal courts to charge court costs for traffic violations (Title 39) dismissed through plea agreements. It directly affects people charged with traffic offenses who resolve cases via such agreements. The key provision permits courts to assess specific fees: $2 per violation (to the Automated Traffic System Fund), $0.50 per fine (to the Emergency Medical Technician Training Fund), and $3 per violation (to the Automated Traffic System Modernization Fund), up to a $33 total. These fees, previously only applied to unresolved cases, are now extendable to dismissed charges under the court's discretion. The change shifts some court funding responsibility from local taxpayers to those with dismissed traffic violations.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill establishes new court fees ($2/$0.50/$3 per violation) directed to state funds (Automated Traffic System, EMT Training, Modernization), generating dedicated revenue for public programs.90% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareAllocates $0.50 per fine to Emergency Medical Technician Training Fund, supporting healthcare professional development.60% confidence ✓ TransportationSupports TransportationBill directs fees to Automated Traffic System Modernization Fund, funding transportation infrastructure improvements related to traffic enforcement systems.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Vehicle Registration

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

A 998: Directs DHS to establish Children's Partial Hospitalization Pilot Program.

This bill establishes a 36-month pilot program allowing New Jersey's NJ FamilyCare health insurance program to reimburse non-hospital-based partial hospitalization services for children aged 5-14 with mental health needs. It directly affects low-income children requiring intensive outpatient mental health care and providers who can apply to participate. The key provision changes current reimbursement rules - previously requiring services to occur in a hospital - to permit care at non-hospital locations, while maintaining all other federal and state eligibility requirements. The program requires the Department of Human Services to select one provider, monitor outcomes, and report findings to the Governor and Legislature within 36 months of selection.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExpands mental health coverage for low-income children by enabling NJ FamilyCare reimbursement for non-hospital partial hospitalization services, improving access to intensive outpatient care.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Hospitals Insurance Mental Health

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