ASSEMBLY, No. 1518

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

INTRODUCED FEBRUARY 8, 1996

By Assemblyman DALTON

An Act concerning medical service corporations and supplementing P.L.1940, c.74 (C.17:48A-1 et seq.).

    Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

    1. Notwithstanding any other provision of P.L.1940, c.74 (C.17:48A-1 et seq.), benefits shall not be denied to an eligible individual for eligible services when those services are performed or rendered to the individual by a certified acupuncturist within the scope of his practice. The practice of acupuncture shall be deemed to be within the provisions of P.L.1940, c.74 (C.17:48A-1 et seq.), and certified acupuncturists shall have the privileges and benefits in the scope of their practice under that act as are afforded thereunder to licensed physicians and surgeons in the scope of their practice.

    2. This act shall take effect immediately.

STATEMENT

    This bill requires medical service corporations to reimburse certified acupuncturists as providers of health care services for services provided within the acupuncturist's scope of practice and within the scope of the medical service corporation's contract.

    In 1983 the State enacted P.L.1983, c.7 (C.45:2C-1 et seq.) to regulate the practice of acupuncture. The law provides that a person must be certified under that law in order to practice acupuncture in the State, but permits a physician or dentist to practice acupuncture without obtaining a certificate if that health care practitioner has received training in acupuncture. If acupuncture is performed by a physician in this State, the patient can receive third party insurance reimbursement for the service, but if the same acupuncture services are provided by a certified acupuncturist, third party reimbursement is not available. This bill insures that persons receive reimbursement under a medical service corporation contract for covered acupuncture services that are provided by any practitioner regulated by the State.

Provides that certified acupuncturists are eligible for reimbursement by medical service corporations.