This bill amends existing New Jersey law to expand the requirements for health insurance carriers regarding prostate cancer screening. It mandates that all health service corporations, hospital service corporations, medical service corporations, and health maintenance organizations provide coverage for annual prostate cancer screenings without any cost-sharing for men aged 40 to 75. The previous law only required coverage for men aged 50 and over who are asymptomatic or for men aged 40 and over with a family history of prostate cancer. The bill also broadens the definition of prostate cancer screening to include various medically viable methods for detection and diagnosis, such as digital rectal exams, prostate-specific antigen tests, and associated laboratory work, as well as follow-up testing directed by healthcare providers.

Additionally, the bill extends these prostate cancer screening requirements to individual health insurance policies, health benefits plans under the New Jersey Individual Health Coverage and Small Employer Health Benefits Programs, the State Health Benefits Program, and the School Employees Health Benefits Program, which were not previously mandated to provide such coverage. The new provisions aim to ensure that men within the specified age range have access to necessary screenings without financial barriers, thereby promoting early detection and treatment of prostate cancer. The act will take effect 90 days after enactment and will apply to all relevant contracts and policies issued or renewed thereafter.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 17:48E-35.13, 17:48-6, 17:48A-7, 17B:27-46.1, 26:2J-4.13