Asm. Mitchelle Drulis

Maddy summaryThis bill changes how health insurers in New Jersey calculate their minimum loss ratio requirement for individual and small employer health plans. It requires insurers to maintain at least 80% of premiums spent on claims and quality improvements, calculated using a three-year rolling average instead of annual figures. The law specifies that the numerator must include claims paid plus quality improvement spending, excludes new taxes from the calculation, and mandates that insurers issue rebates if the loss ratio falls below 80%. This applies to all health insurance carriers selling plans in New Jersey's individual and small-group markets.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's four-year public universities to create and annually update a reproductive health services plan ensuring students can access contraception (including emergency contraception via vending machines or on-campus retail), STI testing/treatment, prenatal care, and abortion referrals. County colleges must establish a referral network connecting students to verified local providers for these services. The plan must include 24-hour access to over-the-counter contraception and evidence-based reproductive health education. Institutions are not required to directly provide abortion services.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Medicaid program to cover emergency contraception (like Plan B) without needing a prescription or provider authorization. It directly affects Medicaid enrollees who need emergency contraception, removing the current barrier that forces them to pay out-of-pocket for over-the-counter options or obtain a prescription for coverage. The key provision mandates that Medicaid managed care organizations include this coverage as a standard benefit, eliminating the need for separate authorization. This changes current practice where Medicaid only covers prescription-based emergency contraceptives, improving access for enrollees.

Maddy summaryBill A4661 creates a voluntary contribution option on New Jersey's state income tax returns to support reproductive health care access. Taxpayers can choose to add a contribution to their refund or send a separate payment to the "New Jersey Reproductive Health Care Equitable Access Fund" established in the Department of the Treasury. The fund would be distributed annually, equally to the three largest Medicaid reproductive health care providers in the state, to cover services for low-income individuals. The bill defines "reproductive health care services" broadly to include pregnancy-related care and abortion services. This policy directly affects New Jersey taxpayers who file state returns and Medicaid providers serving uninsured patients.

Maddy summaryThis bill codifies that physician assistants, certified nurse midwives, certified midwives, and advanced practice nurses can provide abortion services within their scope of practice, including both aspiration and medication abortions. It clarifies that facilities performing abortion procedures not requiring general anesthesia or operating rooms (such as early aspiration abortions) do not need to be licensed as ambulatory surgical facilities. The bill formalizes existing regulations that have been in effect since 2021, removing unnecessary facility requirements to increase access to abortion care. These services may be performed in procedure rooms rather than requiring full surgical facility licensing, while still requiring adherence to standard of care regulations.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes New Jersey's "Reproductive Health Care Access Fund" to improve access to abortion and related reproductive health services. The fund will directly support clinics and providers by funding three programs: (1) clinical training for health care professionals to expand provider capacity, (2) security grants for clinics facing threats like violence or cyberattacks, and (3) loans for facility renovations, technology, and staff retention. It targets gaps identified in southern New Jersey counties with no abortion providers and addresses security risks reported by clinics. Funding comes from the state General Fund, with specific allocations for each program’s implementation.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a program to repay student loans for reproductive health care professionals in New Jersey who work at approved facilities providing abortion services. It appropriates $5 million to cover up to 18-28% of qualifying student loans per year of service (maxing at $200,000 total), requiring participants to work at approved sites for 1-4 years. Eligibility prioritizes professionals in counties with provider shortages, and applicants must be New Jersey residents employed in reproductive health care. The program explicitly includes abortion care as part of "reproductive health services" under the bill's definition.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires health care providers and insurance companies to obtain written consent before sharing a patient's medical information about reproductive health care services (including pregnancy, contraception, or abortion care). Patients must be informed of their right to withhold consent before receiving services or when disclosing previous reproductive health information. Exceptions allowing disclosure without consent include medical emergencies, legal requirements, court orders, and investigations into abuse or complaints. Violations could result in $1,000 per violation in damages plus legal fees, while explicitly maintaining existing federal HIPAA protections.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes legal protections for patients and healthcare providers accessing or providing reproductive and gender-affirming health care services in New Jersey. It creates a new crime for interfering with these services (including physical obstruction, intimidation, or damaging property), with penalties ranging from a disorderly persons offense to a fourth-degree crime. The bill also prevents New Jersey from extraditing people for legally protected health care activities, prohibits licensing boards from penalizing providers for services that are legal in New Jersey but illegal in other states, and protects patient privacy related to these services. It specifically ensures that a fertilized egg, embryo, or fetus has no independent legal rights under New Jersey law.

Maddy summaryThis bill increases the monthly personal needs allowance (PNA) from $50 to $140 for low-income residents in nursing homes, state psychiatric hospitals, and state developmental centers. The allowance is intended for residents to spend on discretionary items like phone calls, meals out, clothing, or hobbies. The new amount includes an automatic annual increase tied to the Social Security cost-of-living adjustment starting the year after enactment. It also ensures SSI recipients in these facilities receive the same $140 monthly allowance as Medicaid recipients, with the state covering the difference if federal supplements remain unchanged.