This bill requires that health insurance and Medicaid in New Jersey cover reproductive health care services, including abortion, without any cost-sharing requirements such as deductibles or copayments. It prohibits health benefit contracts from restricting or delaying access to these services and eliminates prior authorization requirements. While allowing religious employers to request exclusions from coverage that conflict with their beliefs, the bill ensures that essential care to preserve life or health remains covered. Additionally, it addresses financial barriers to reproductive health care, particularly for marginalized groups, and mandates that any state program providing pregnancy-related benefits must also include coverage for pregnancy termination.

The legislation also introduces definitions for "gender-affirming health care services" and "legally protected health care activity," ensuring these services are recognized under state law. It protects medical malpractice insurers from taking adverse actions against healthcare providers who perform legally protected reproductive or gender-affirming health services, regardless of the patient's state of residence. The bill repeals certain sections of previous legislation and outlines effective dates for its provisions, reinforcing New Jersey's commitment to uphold and expand access to reproductive rights and health care services.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 10:7-2, 17:30D-22