SENATE, No. 573

 

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

 

INTRODUCED JANUARY 29, 1996

 

 

By Senator BASSANO

 

 

An Act concerning referral of patients for home infusion therapy and amending P.L.1989, c.19.

 

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

 

    1. Section 2 of P.L.1989, c.19 (C.45:9-22.5) is amended to read as follows:

    2. a. A practitioner shall not refer a patient or direct an employee of the practitioner to refer a patient to a health care service in which the practitioner, or the practitioner's immediate family, or the practitioner in combination with practitioner's immediate family has a significant beneficial interest; except that, in the case of a practitioner, a practitioner's immediate family or a practitioner in combination with the practitioner's immediate family who had the significant beneficial interest prior to the effective date of P.L.1991, c.187 (C.26:2H-18.24 et al.), the practitioner may continue to refer a patient or direct an employee to do so if that practitioner discloses the significant beneficial interest to the patient.

    b. If a practitioner is permitted to refer a patient to a health care service pursuant to subsection a. of this section, the practitioner shall provide the patient with a written disclosure form, prepared pursuant to section 3 of P.L.1989, c.19 (C.45:9-22.6), and post a copy of this disclosure form in a conspicuous public place in the practitioner's office.

    c. The restrictions on referral of patients established in this section shall not apply to:

    (1) a health care service that is provided at the practitioner's medical office and for which the patient is billed directly by the practitioner; and

    (2) radiation therapy pursuant to an oncological protocol, lithotripsy, home infusion therapy and renal dialysis.

(cf: P.L.1991, c.187, s.47)


    2. This act shall take effect immediately.

 

 

STATEMENT

 

    This bill amends section 2 of P.L.1989, c.19 (C.45:9-22.5) to exempt home infusion therapy from the restrictions on referral of patients to health care services in which the referring physician has a financial interest. The law currently exempts radiation therapy pursuant to an oncological protocol, lithotripsy and renal dialysis from the restrictions on referral of patients.

 

 

 

Exempts home infusion therapy from restrictions on referral of patients.