Bill Text: NJ S93 | 2014-2015 | 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: (Introduced - Dead) 2014-01-14 - Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee [S93 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2014-S93-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Senator ROBERT W. SINGER
District 30 (Monmouth and Ocean)
Senator DAWN MARIE ADDIEGO
District 8 (Atlantic, Burlington and Camden)
Co-Sponsored by:
Senators Allen, Gordon and Madden
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
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel
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, as determined by the hospital pursuant to its policy, adopted in accordance with the standards of The Joint Commission.
2. The Commissioner of Health, 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, as determined by the hospital pursuant to its policy, adopted in accordance with the standards of The Joint Commission (formerly the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations).
