Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman CELESTE M. RILEY
District 3 (Cumberland, Gloucester and Salem)
Assemblyman JOHN J. BURZICHELLI
District 3 (Cumberland, Gloucester and Salem)
Assemblywoman PAMELA R. LAMPITT
District 6 (Burlington and Camden)
Assemblyman JOHN DIMAIO
District 23 (Hunterdon, Somerset and Warren)
Co-Sponsored by:
Assemblywomen Angelini, Mosquera, Assemblymen Rumana and Caputo
SYNOPSIS
Eliminates requirement that every full-time student at an institution of higher education in New Jersey maintain health insurance coverage.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning health insurance coverage for students at institutions of higher education and amending P.L.1991, c.187.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. Section 77 of P.L.1991, c.187 (C.18A:62-15) is amended to read as follows:
77. a. [Every student enrolled as a full-time student at a public or private institution of higher education in this State shall maintain health insurance coverage which provides basic hospital benefits. The coverage shall be maintained throughout the period of the student's enrollment.
b. Every student enrolled as a full-time student shall present evidence of the health insurance coverage required by subsection a. of this section to the institution at least annually, in a manner prescribed by the institution.
c.] The State Department of Health shall require all public and private institutions of higher education in this State to offer health insurance coverage on a group or individual basis for purchase by students who are [required to maintain the coverage pursuant to this section] enrolled full-time at the institution.
[d.] b. The Commissioner of Health shall adopt rules and regulations pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.) to carry out the purposes of [subsections a., b. and c.] subsection a. of this section.
[e. The Student Assistance Board in but not of the Department of the Treasury shall adopt rules and regulations to require that a public or private institution of higher education in this State consider the coverage required pursuant to this section as an educational cost for purposes of determining a student's eligibility for financial aid.
f. Nothing in this section shall be construed to permit a hospital in this State to deny access to hospital care to a full-time student whose health insurance coverage required by this section lapses for any reason.
g. The provisions of this section shall not apply to a person who is a participant in the REACH program established pursuant to P.L.1987, c.282 (C.44:10-9 et seq.).]
(cf: P.L.1994, c.48, s.87)
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill amends current law to eliminate the requirement that every student who is enrolled full-time at a public or private institution of higher education in New Jersey maintain health insurance coverage which provides basic hospital benefits. The bill also eliminates the requirement that every full-time student annually present evidence of health insurance coverage and other provisions related to the health insurance coverage requirement. Any requirements for health insurance coverage imposed at the federal level by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) would still be applicable.
The bill maintains the present requirement that all institutions of higher education in New Jersey offer health insurance coverage for purchase by students who are enrolled full-time at the institution.