This bill mandates that health insurance and Medicaid in New Jersey must cover reproductive health care services, including abortion, without any cost-sharing requirements such as deductibles or copayments. It prohibits insurance carriers from requiring prior authorization for these services, ensuring that all individuals can access reproductive health care regardless of income or insurance type. The bill allows religious employers to request exclusions from coverage if it conflicts with their beliefs, but it ensures that necessary care to preserve life or health cannot be excluded. Additionally, it defines pregnancy as starting with the implantation of a fertilized egg and requires that any state program offering benefits for pregnancy-related care must 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 and protected 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, even if the patient is from a state where such services are illegal. The bill repeals certain sections of previous legislation and outlines the effective dates for its provisions, reflecting New Jersey's commitment to safeguarding reproductive rights and eliminating barriers to accessing reproductive health care, particularly for marginalized groups.

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