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Bill > A970
NJ A970
NJ A970Appropriates $2.5 million to DOBI to reimburse joint insurance funds for COVID-19 surveillance testing.
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 appropriates $2.5 million to DOBI to reimburse joint insurance funds for COVID-19 surveillance testing. Under the bill, $2.5 million will be appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Banking and Insurance (DOBI) for use by the department to reimburse joint insurance funds, providing contributory or non-contributory group health insurance, for the cost of providing coverage to covered workers for COVID-19 surveillance testing from August 6, 2021 to August 15, 2022. Beginning with Executive Order No. 252, signed by Governor Phil Murphy on August 6, 2021, and ending with Executive Order No. 302, signed by the Governor on August 15, 2022, certain employers in the health care industry and in high risk congregate settings were required to maintain a policy that instructed their covered workers to provide proof of vaccination against COVID-19 or submit to surveillance testing. Per federal guidelines, joint insurance funds were not required to provide coverage for surveillance tests; however, despite federal guidance, certain joint insurance funds decided to provide coverage to covered workers. This bill aims to reimburse the joint insurance funds that covered surveillance tests during this time period.
AI Summary
This bill appropriates $2.5 million from the General Fund to the Department of Banking and Insurance (DOBI) to reimburse joint insurance funds, which are entities that provide group health insurance to employees, for the costs they incurred in covering COVID-19 surveillance testing for their workers. This reimbursement covers the period between August 6, 2021, and August 15, 2022, a time when certain employers in healthcare and high-risk congregate settings were mandated by executive orders to either ensure their workers were vaccinated or undergo regular COVID-19 surveillance testing. Surveillance testing, as defined in the bill, involves weekly screening of unvaccinated, asymptomatic workers without known exposure to identify potential infections early and prevent spread. Although federal guidelines did not require joint insurance funds to cover these surveillance tests, some chose to do so, and this bill aims to provide financial relief to those funds for these voluntary coverages. The bill also outlines the process for joint insurance funds to submit reimbursement requests and for DOBI to develop the necessary rules and regulations.
Committee Categories
Business and Industry
Sponsors (1)
Last Action
Introduced, Referred to Assembly Financial Institutions and Insurance 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/A970 |
| BillText | https://pub.njleg.gov/Bills/2026/A1000/970_I1.HTM |
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