Bill Text: NJ S2045 | 2012-2013 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Requires hospital to notify patient admitted for observation of possible increased prescription charges and allow patient to use patient's own medication.
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2013-01-08 - Received in the Assembly, Referred to Assembly Health and Senior Services Committee [S2045 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2012-S2045-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Senator ROBERT W. SINGER
District 30 (Monmouth and Ocean)
SYNOPSIS
Requires hospital to notify patient admitted for observation of possible increased prescription charges and allow patient to use patient's own medication.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning certain information to be provided by hospitals to patients admitted for observation and supplementing Title 26 of the Revised Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. A general hospital licensed pursuant to P.L.1971, c.136 (C.26:2H-1 et seq.) shall provide written notice to a patient who is admitted to the hospital for observation that the charges for prescriptions administered in an observation setting may be greater than if administered in an inpatient setting and may not be covered by the patient's health insurance. The patient shall be offered the opportunity to use the patient's own maintenance medication for treatment of a chronic condition, if feasible.
2. The Commissioner of Health and Senior Services, pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), shall adopt rules and regulations to effectuate the purposes of this act.
3. This bill shall take effect on the first day of the second month next following the date of enactment.
STATEMENT
This bill would require that a general hospital licensed pursuant to P.L.1971, c.136 (C.26:2H-1 et seq.) provide written notice to a patient admitted for observation, advising the patient of possible increased financial liability for prescription charges, and provide the patient the opportunity to use the patient's own maintenance medication for a chronic condition, if feasible.
According to Kaiser Health News, many patients who are admitted to hospitals for observation are never admitted as inpatients and their insurance plans may not cover prescription expenses, even though those same medications would be covered if administered during an inpatient stay. Sometimes these medications are for chronic conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. The purpose of this bill is to ensure that patients admitted for observation are informed beforehand that they may incur high out-of-pocket expenses and be given the opportunity to use their own maintenance medications to offset the financial liability that often occurs with observation care.
