Bill
Bill > S439
summary
Introduced
01/13/2026
01/13/2026
In Committee
01/13/2026
01/13/2026
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead
Introduced Session
2026-2027 Regular Session
Bill Summary
This bill prohibits health care providers from billing patients for services provided under the early intervention services program more than one year after the service was provided, and prohibits providers from attempting to collect from a patient on a bill for early intervention services if the bill was issued more than one year after the service was provided. Nothing in the bill will prohibit a health care provider from, at any time, seeking reimbursement for the service from the patient's health benefits plan; provided that, if the health benefits plan denies the claim or provides only partial reimbursement, the health care provider will be prohibited from billing the patient for the balance of the claim if: 1) the claim was submitted to the health benefits plan more than one year after the date the service was provided; or 2) the claim was submitted to the plan within one year from the date the service was provided, but more than 18 months elapsed since the date the service was provided. The early intervention services program is a Statewide program that provides specialized services and supports, from birth through age two, to infants and toddlers experiencing physical, cognitive, communication, social, emotional, or adaptive developmental delays or disabilities. It has been suggested that some early intervention services providers have issued bills to patients years after the early intervention service was originally provided. This practice can result in administrative headaches and affordability issues for parents who are already navigating the complexities of caring for a child with special needs, as the parent then needs to negotiate with an insurance provider or find the money to cover the bill long after the child has exited the early intervention services program. It is the sponsor's intent to help these families avoid the burden of these unexpected medical bills.
AI Summary
This bill aims to protect families from unexpected medical bills related to the early intervention services program, which provides specialized support for infants and toddlers (birth to age two) with developmental delays or disabilities. Specifically, it prohibits healthcare providers from billing patients for these services more than one year after the service was rendered, and also prevents them from trying to collect payment if the bill was issued after that one-year mark. While providers can still seek reimbursement from a patient's health benefits plan at any time, this bill adds restrictions: if the health benefits plan denies a claim or only partially reimburses it, the provider cannot bill the patient for the remaining balance if the claim was submitted to the plan more than a year after the service, or if it was submitted within a year but more than 18 months had passed since the service was provided. This legislation is intended to address concerns that some providers have been issuing bills years after services were delivered, creating financial and administrative burdens for parents already managing the care of a child with special needs.
Committee Categories
Health and Social Services
Sponsors (1)
Last Action
Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee (on 01/13/2026)
Official Document
bill text
bill summary
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bill summary
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bill summary
| Document Type | Source Location |
|---|---|
| State Bill Page | https://www.njleg.state.nj.us/bill-search/2026/S439 |
| BillText | https://pub.njleg.gov/Bills/2026/S0500/439_I1.HTM |
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