Bill > A5558

Introduced Session

This bill requires health insurance carriers (health, hospital and medical service corporations; health maintenance organizations; and insurance companies), as well as the State and School Employees' Health Benefits Programs, to provide coverage for expenses incurred in the treatment of suicidal ideation and attempted suicide for a woman who is within the postpartum period. The bill defines the postpartum period to be one year after childbirth. Currently, insurance carriers are not specifically required to provide coverage for suicidal ideation. The bill takes effect immediately and applies to all health benefit plans currently in effect in the State, or that are delivered, issued, executed or renewed in this State, or approved for issuance or renewal in this State by the Commissioner of Banking and Insurance, on or after the effective date of the bill. Suicide is one of the leading causes of death among postpartum women. Recent findings indicate that the prevalence of suicidal ideation among postpartum women has risen in recent years. In addition, some findings even indicate that suicides may account for up to twenty percent of postpartum deaths.

AI Summary

Committee Categories

Aura Dunn (R)*,  Raj Mukherji (D)*,  Valerie Vainieri Huttle (D)*,  Anthony Verrelli (D), 

Introduced, Referred to Assembly Financial Institutions and Insurance Committee (on 05/05/2021)