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Bill > A4349


NJ A4349

NJ A4349
Requires health insurance and Medicaid coverage for family planning and reproductive health care services; prohibits adverse actions by medical malpractice insurers in relation to performance of legally protected health care services.


summary

Introduced
02/19/2026
In Committee
02/19/2026
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead

Introduced Session

2026-2027 Regular Session

Bill Summary

This bill requires health insurance carriers (including health service corporations, hospital service corporations, medical service corporations, commercial individual and group health insurers, and health maintenance organizations), entities contracted to administer health benefits in connection with the State Health Benefits Program and School Employees' Health Benefits Program, and the NJ FamilyCares/Medicaid program to provide coverage for the termination of pregnancies. Under the bill, "pregnancy" is defined as the period of the human reproductive process beginning with the implantation of a fertilized egg. The bill provides that, upon request of a religious employer, health insurers are required to grant an exclusion if the coverage conflicts with the religious employer's bona fide religious beliefs and practices. "Religious employer" is defined in the bill to mean an organization that is referred to in section 6033(a)(3)(A)(i) or (iii) of the federal Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (26 U.S.C. s.6033), and that is organized and operates as a nonprofit entity. Additionally, the bill provides that any State program that provides benefits for pregnancy-related care will also provide benefits for the termination of a pregnancy. Lastly, under the bill, medical malpractice insurers are barred from taking any adverse action, including loss of coverage, sanctions, fines, penalties, or rate increases, against an insured for providing or facilitating reproductive health care services or gender-affirming health care services based solely on the fact that the patient receiving the service is a resident of a state where providing or facilitating the activity is illegal.

AI Summary

This bill mandates that health insurance providers, including health maintenance organizations and commercial insurers, along with the state's Medicaid program (NJ FamilyCares), must cover family planning and reproductive health care services, specifically including the termination of pregnancies, which is defined as the period starting from the implantation of a fertilized egg. While religious employers can request an exclusion from this coverage if it conflicts with their bona fide religious beliefs, this exclusion cannot be used to deny care necessary to preserve a person's life or health. Furthermore, medical malpractice insurers are prohibited from taking any negative actions, such as increasing premiums or canceling coverage, against healthcare providers for offering or facilitating legally protected health care services, including reproductive and gender-affirming care, even if the patient resides in a state where such services are illegal.

Committee Categories

Business and Industry

Sponsors (1)

Last Action

Introduced, Referred to Assembly Financial Institutions and Insurance Committee (on 02/19/2026)

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