This bill mandates that health insurance and Medicaid in New Jersey provide coverage for reproductive health care services, including abortion, without any cost-sharing requirements such as deductibles or copayments. It prohibits medical malpractice insurers from taking adverse actions against healthcare providers based on their provision of legally protected reproductive health services, regardless of the patient's state of residence. The legislation emphasizes the importance of access to reproductive health care for all individuals in New Jersey, aiming to eliminate financial barriers that may prevent people from exercising their reproductive rights. Additionally, it establishes that all individuals present in the state have the fundamental right to make decisions regarding contraception, pregnancy, and abortion, declaring any state laws that limit these rights as invalid.

The bill also requires health insurance carriers, including various health service organizations and the NJ FamilyCares/Medicaid program, to provide coverage for the termination of pregnancies, defining pregnancy as starting with the implantation of a fertilized egg. It allows religious employers to request an exclusion from this coverage if it conflicts with their bona fide religious beliefs. Furthermore, the bill 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 reiterates the prohibition against penalizing providers for offering reproductive or gender-affirming health care services based on the residency of the patient in a state where such services may be illegal, while also repealing certain sections of previous legislation and outlining the effective dates for its provisions.

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