Bill Text: NJ S1397 | 2010-2011 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Requires health insurers to cover medically necessary expenses for preventing infertility in women undergoing chemotherapy or radiation therapy.
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2010-02-11 - Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee [S1397 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2010-S1397-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Senator LORETTA WEINBERG
District 37 (Bergen)
Senator DIANE B. ALLEN
District 7 (Burlington and Camden)
SYNOPSIS
Requires health insurers to cover medically necessary expenses for preventing infertility in women undergoing chemotherapy or radiation therapy.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning health insurance coverage for the prevention of infertility in women undergoing cancer treatment and amending P.L.2001, c.236.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. The Title of P.L.2001, c.236 is amended to read as follows:
An Act requiring health insurers to provide coverage for medically necessary expenses incurred in the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of infertility and supplementing various parts of the statutory law.
(cf: P.L.2001, c.236, Title)
2. Section 1 of P.L.2001, c.236 (C.17:48-6x) is amended to read as follows:
1. a. A hospital service corporation contract which provides hospital or medical expense benefits for groups with more than 50 persons, which includes pregnancy-related benefits, shall not be delivered, issued, executed or renewed in this State, or approved for issuance or renewal in this State by the Commissioner of Banking and Insurance on or after the effective date of this act unless the contract provides coverage for persons covered under the contract for medically necessary expenses incurred in the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of infertility as provided pursuant to this section. The hospital service corporation contract shall provide coverage which includes, but is not limited to, the following services related to infertility: diagnosis and diagnostic tests; medications; surgery; in vitro fertilization; embryo transfer; artificial insemination; gamete intra fallopian transfer; zygote intra fallopian transfer; intracytoplasmic sperm injection; [and] four completed egg retrievals per lifetime of the covered person; and oocyte cryopreservation for the prevention of infertility in women undergoing chemotherapy or radiation therapy for the treatment of cancer. The hospital service corporation may provide that coverage for in vitro fertilization, gamete intra fallopian transfer and zygote intra fallopian transfer shall be limited to a covered person who: a. has used all reasonable, less expensive and medically appropriate treatments and is still unable to become pregnant or carry a pregnancy; b. has not reached the limit of four completed egg retrievals; and c. is 45 years of age or younger.
For purposes of this section[, "infertility"]:
"Infertility" means the disease or condition that results in the abnormal function of the reproductive system such that a person is not able to: impregnate another person; conceive after two years of unprotected intercourse if the female partner is under 35 years of age, or one year of unprotected intercourse if the female partner is 35 years of age or older or one of the partners is considered medically sterile; or carry a pregnancy to live birth; and
"Oocyte cryopreservation" means the process by which hormones are administered to foster the development of ovarian follicles and the woman's unfertilized eggs are removed and frozen, but does not include storage of the frozen eggs.
The benefits shall be provided to the same extent as for other pregnancy-related procedures under the contract, except that the services provided for in this section shall be performed at facilities that conform to standards established by the American Society for Reproductive Medicine or the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. The same copayments, deductibles and benefit limits shall apply to the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of infertility pursuant to this section as those applied to other medical or surgical benefits under the contract.
b. A religious employer may request, and a hospital service corporation shall grant, an exclusion under the contract for the coverage required by this section for in vitro fertilization, embryo transfer, artificial insemination, zygote intra fallopian transfer and intracytoplasmic sperm injection, if the required coverage is contrary to the religious employer's bona fide religious tenets. The hospital service corporation that issues a contract containing such an exclusion shall provide written notice thereof to each prospective subscriber or subscriber, which shall appear in not less than 10 point type, in the contract, application and sales brochure. For the purposes of this subsection, "religious employer" means an employer that is a church, convention or association of churches or any group or entity that is operated, supervised or controlled by or in connection with a church or a convention or association of churches as defined in 26 U.S.C. s.3121(w)(3)(A), and that qualifies as a tax-exempt organization under 26 U.S.C. s.501(c)(3).
c. This section shall apply to those hospital service corporation contracts in which the hospital service corporation has reserved the right to change the premium.
d. The provisions of this section shall not apply to a hospital service corporation contract which, pursuant to a contract between the hospital service corporation and the Department of Human Services, provides benefits to persons who are eligible for medical assistance under P.L.1968, c.413 (C.30:4D-1 et seq.), the [Children's Health Care Coverage Program under P.L.1997, c.272 (C.30:4I-1 et seq.), the FamilyCare Health Coverage Program under P.L.2000, c.71 (C.30:4J-1 et seq.)] NJ FamilyCare Program under P.L.2005, c.156 (C.30:4J-8 et al.), or any other program administered by the Division of Medical Assistance and Health Services in the Department of Human Services.
(cf: P.L.2001, c.236, s.1)
3. Section 2 of P.L.2001, c.236 (C.17:48A-7w) is amended to read as follows:
2. a. A medical service corporation contract which provides hospital or medical expense benefits for groups with more than 50 persons, which includes pregnancy-related benefits, shall not be delivered, issued, executed or renewed in this State, or approved for issuance or renewal in this State by the Commissioner of Banking and Insurance on or after the effective date of this act unless the contract provides coverage for persons covered under the contract for medically necessary expenses incurred in the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of infertility as provided pursuant to this section. The medical service corporation contract shall provide coverage which includes, but is not limited to, the following services related to infertility: diagnosis and diagnostic tests; medications; surgery; in vitro fertilization; embryo transfer; artificial insemination; gamete intra fallopian transfer; zygote intra fallopian transfer; intracytoplasmic sperm injection; [and] four completed egg retrievals per lifetime of the covered person; and oocyte cryopreservation for the prevention of infertility in women undergoing chemotherapy or radiation therapy for the treatment of cancer. The medical service corporation may provide that coverage for in vitro fertilization, gamete intra fallopian transfer and zygote intra fallopian transfer shall be limited to a covered person who: a. has used all reasonable, less expensive and medically appropriate treatments and is still unable to become pregnant or carry a pregnancy; b. has not reached the limit of four completed egg retrievals; and c. is 45 years of age or younger.
For purposes of this section[, "infertility"]:
"Infertility" means the disease or condition that results in the abnormal function of the reproductive system such that a person is not able to: impregnate another person; conceive after two years of unprotected intercourse if the female partner is under 35 years of age, or one year of unprotected intercourse if the female partner is 35 years of age or older or one of the partners is considered medically sterile; or carry a pregnancy to live birth; and
"Oocyte cryopreservation" means the process by which hormones are administered to foster the development of ovarian follicles and the woman's unfertilized eggs are removed and frozen, but does not include storage of the frozen eggs.
The benefits shall be provided to the same extent as for other pregnancy-related procedures under the contract, except that the services provided for in this section shall be performed at facilities that conform to standards established by the American Society for Reproductive Medicine or the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. The same copayments, deductibles and benefit limits shall apply to the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of infertility pursuant to this section as those applied to other medical or surgical benefits under the contract.
b. A religious employer may request, and a medical service corporation shall grant, an exclusion under the contract for the coverage required by this section for in vitro fertilization, embryo transfer, artificial insemination, zygote intra fallopian transfer and intracytoplasmic sperm injection, if the required coverage is contrary to the religious employer's bona fide religious tenets. The medical service corporation that issues a contract containing such an exclusion shall provide written notice thereof to each prospective subscriber or subscriber, which shall appear in not less than ten point type, in the contract, application and sales brochure. For the purposes of this subsection, "religious employer" means an employer that is a church, convention or association of churches or any group or entity that is operated, supervised or controlled by or in connection with a church or a convention or association of churches as defined in 26 U.S.C. s.3121(w)(3)(A), and that qualifies as a tax-exempt organization under 26 U.S.C. s.501(c)(3).
c. This section shall apply to those medical service corporation contracts in which the medical service corporation has reserved the right to change the premium.
d. The provisions of this section shall not apply to a medical service corporation contract which, pursuant to a contract between the medical service corporation and the Department of Human Services, provides benefits to persons who are eligible for medical assistance under P.L.1968, c.413 (C.30:4D-1 et seq.), the [Children's Health Care Coverage Program under P.L.1997, c.272 (C.30:4I-1 et seq.), the FamilyCare Health Coverage Program under P.L.2000, c.71 (C.30:4J-1 et seq.)] NJ FamilyCare Program under P.L.2005, c.156 (C.30:4J-8 et al.), or any other program administered by the Division of Medical Assistance and Health Services in the Department of Human Services.
(cf: P.L.2001, c.236, s.2)
4. Section 3 of P.L.2001, c.236 (C.17:48E-35.22) is amended to read as follows:
3. a. A health service corporation contract which provides hospital or medical expense benefits for groups with more than 50 persons, which includes pregnancy-related benefits, shall not be delivered, issued, executed or renewed in this State, or approved for issuance or renewal in this State by the Commissioner of Banking and Insurance on or after the effective date of this act unless the contract provides coverage for persons covered under the contract for medically necessary expenses incurred in the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of infertility as provided pursuant to this section. The health service corporation contract shall provide coverage which includes, but is not limited to, the following services related to infertility: diagnosis and diagnostic tests; medications; surgery; in vitro fertilization; embryo transfer; artificial insemination; gamete intra fallopian transfer; zygote intra fallopian transfer; intracytoplasmic sperm injection; [and] four completed egg retrievals per lifetime of the covered person; and oocyte cryopreservation for the prevention of infertility in women undergoing chemotherapy or radiation therapy for the treatment of cancer. The health service corporation may provide that coverage for in vitro fertilization, gamete intra fallopian transfer and zygote intra fallopian transfer shall be limited to a covered person who: a. has used all reasonable, less expensive and medically appropriate treatments and is still unable to become pregnant or carry a pregnancy; b. has not reached the limit of four completed egg retrievals; and c. is 45 years of age or younger.
For purposes of this section[, "infertility"]:
"Infertility" means the disease or condition that results in the abnormal function of the reproductive system such that a person is not able to: impregnate another person; conceive after two years of unprotected intercourse if the female partner is under 35 years of age, or one year of unprotected intercourse if the female partner is 35 years of age or older or one of the partners is considered medically sterile; or carry a pregnancy to live birth; and
"Oocyte cryopreservation" means the process by which hormones are administered to foster the development of ovarian follicles and the woman's unfertilized eggs are removed and frozen, but does not include storage of the frozen eggs.
The benefits shall be provided to the same extent as for other pregnancy-related procedures under the contract, except that the services provided for in this section shall be performed at facilities that conform to standards established by the American Society for Reproductive Medicine or the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. The same copayments, deductibles and benefit limits shall apply to the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of infertility pursuant to this section as those applied to other medical or surgical benefits under the contract.
b. A religious employer may request, and a health service corporation shall grant, an exclusion under the contract for the coverage required by this section for in vitro fertilization, embryo transfer, artificial insemination, zygote intra fallopian transfer and intracytoplasmic sperm injection, if the required coverage is contrary to the religious employer's bona fide religious tenets. The health service corporation that issues a contract containing such an exclusion shall provide written notice thereof to each prospective subscriber or subscriber, which shall appear in not less than ten point type, in the contract, application and sales brochure. For the purposes of this subsection, "religious employer" means an employer that is a church, convention or association of churches or any group or entity that is operated, supervised or controlled by or in connection with a church or a convention or association of churches as defined in 26 U.S.C. s.3121(w)(3)(A), and that qualifies as a tax-exempt organization under 26 U.S.C. s.501(c)(3).
c. This section shall apply to those health service corporation contracts in which the health service corporation has reserved the right to change the premium.
d. The provisions of this section shall not apply to a health service corporation contract which, pursuant to a contract between the health service corporation and the Department of Human Services, provides benefits to persons who are eligible for medical assistance under P.L.1968, c.413 (C.30:4D-1 et seq.), the [Children's Health Care Coverage Program under P.L.1997, c.272 (C.30:4I-1 et seq.), the FamilyCare Health Coverage Program under P.L.2000, c.71 (C.30:4J-1 et seq.)] NJ FamilyCare Program under P.L.2005, c.156 (C.30:4J-8 et al.), or any other program administered by the Division of Medical Assistance and Health Services in the Department of Human Services.
(cf: P.L.2001, c.236, s.3)
5. Section 4 of P.L.2001, c.236 (C.17B:27-46.1x) is amended to read as follows:
4. a. A group health insurance policy which provides hospital or medical expense benefits for groups with more than 50 persons, which includes pregnancy-related benefits, shall not be delivered, issued, executed or renewed in this State, or approved for issuance or renewal in this State by the Commissioner of Banking and Insurance on or after the effective date of this act unless the policy provides coverage for persons covered under the policy for medically necessary expenses incurred in the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of infertility as provided pursuant to this section. The policy shall provide coverage which includes, but is not limited to, the following services related to infertility: diagnosis and diagnostic tests; medications; surgery; in vitro fertilization; embryo transfer; artificial insemination; gamete intra fallopian transfer; zygote intra fallopian transfer; intracytoplasmic sperm injection; [and] four completed egg retrievals per lifetime of the covered person; and oocyte cryopreservation for the prevention of infertility in women undergoing chemotherapy or radiation therapy for the treatment of cancer. The insurer may provide that coverage for in vitro fertilization, gamete intra fallopian transfer and zygote intra fallopian transfer shall be limited to a covered person who: a. has used all reasonable, less expensive and medically appropriate treatments and is still unable to become pregnant or carry a pregnancy; b. has not reached the limit of four completed egg retrievals; and c. is 45 years of age or younger.
For purposes of this section[, "infertility"]:
"Infertility" means the disease or condition that results in the abnormal function of the reproductive system such that a person is not able to: impregnate another person; conceive after two years of unprotected intercourse if the female partner is under 35 years of age, or one year of unprotected intercourse if the female partner is 35 years of age or older or one of the partners is considered medically sterile; or carry a pregnancy to live birth; and
"Oocyte cryopreservation" means the process by which hormones are administered to foster the development of ovarian follicles and the woman's unfertilized eggs are removed and frozen, but does not include storage of the frozen eggs.
The benefits shall be provided to the same extent as for other pregnancy-related procedures under the policy, except that the services provided for in this section shall be performed at facilities that conform to standards established by the American Society for Reproductive Medicine or the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. The same copayments, deductibles and benefit limits shall apply to the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of infertility pursuant to this section as those applied to other medical or surgical benefits under the policy.
b. A religious employer may request, and an insurer shall grant, an exclusion under the policy for the coverage required by this section for in vitro fertilization, embryo transfer, artificial insemination, zygote intra fallopian transfer and intracytoplasmic sperm injection, if the required coverage is contrary to the religious employer's bona fide religious tenets. The insurer that issues a policy containing such an exclusion shall provide written notice thereof to each prospective insured or insured, which shall appear in not less than ten point type, in the policy, application and sales brochure. For the purposes of this subsection, "religious employer" means an employer that is a church, convention or association of churches or any group or entity that is operated, supervised or controlled by or in connection with a church or a convention or association of churches as defined in 26 U.S.C. s.3121(w)(3)(A), and that qualifies as a tax-exempt organization under 26 U.S.C. s.501(c)(3).
c. This section shall apply to those insurance policies in which the insurer has reserved the right to change the premium.
d. The provisions of this section shall not apply to a group health insurance policy which, pursuant to a contract between the insurer and the Department of Human Services, provides benefits to persons who are eligible for medical assistance under P.L.1968, c.413 (C.30:4D-1 et seq.), the [Children's Health Care Coverage Program under P.L.1997, c.272 (C.30:4I-1 et seq.), the FamilyCare Health Coverage Program under P.L.2000, c.71 (C.30:4J-1 et seq.)] NJ FamilyCare Program under P.L.2005, c.156 (C.30:4J-8 et al.), or any other program administered by the Division of Medical Assistance and Health Services in the Department of Human Services.
(cf: P.L.2001, c.236, s.4)
6. Section 5 of P.L.2001, c.236 (C.26:2J-4.23) is amended to read as follows:
5. a. No certificate of authority to establish and operate a health maintenance organization in this State shall be issued or continued on or after the effective date of this act unless the health maintenance organization provides health care services, to groups of more than 50 enrollees, for medically necessary expenses incurred in the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of infertility as provided pursuant to this section. A health maintenance organization shall provide enrollee coverage which includes, but is not limited to, the following services related to infertility: diagnosis and diagnostic tests; medications; surgery; in vitro fertilization; embryo transfer; artificial insemination; gamete intra fallopian transfer; zygote intra fallopian transfer; intracytoplasmic sperm injection; [and] four completed egg retrievals per lifetime of the enrollee; and oocyte cryopreservation for the prevention of infertility in women undergoing chemotherapy or radiation therapy for the treatment of cancer. The health maintenance organization may provide that health care services for in vitro fertilization, gamete intra fallopian transfer and zygote intra fallopian transfer shall be limited to a covered person who: a. has used all reasonable, less expensive and medically appropriate treatments and is still unable to become pregnant or carry a pregnancy; b. has not reached the limit of four completed egg retrievals; and c. is 45 years of age or younger.
For the purposes of this section[, "infertility"]:
"Infertility" means the disease or condition that results in the abnormal function of the reproductive system such that a person is not able to: impregnate another person; conceive after two years of unprotected intercourse if the female partner is under 35 years of age, or one year of unprotected intercourse if the female partner is 35 years of age or older or one of the partners is considered medically sterile; or carry a pregnancy to live birth; and
"Oocyte cryopreservation" means the process by which hormones are administered to foster the development of ovarian follicles and the woman's unfertilized eggs are removed and frozen, but does not include storage of the frozen eggs.
The health care services shall be provided to the same extent as for other pregnancy-related procedures under the contract, except that the services provided for in this section shall be performed at facilities that conform to standards established by the American Society for Reproductive Medicine or the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. The same copayments, deductibles and benefit limits shall apply to the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of infertility pursuant to this section as those applied to other medical or surgical health care services under the contract.
b. A religious employer may request, and a health maintenance organization shall grant, an exclusion under the contract for the health care services required by this section for in vitro fertilization, embryo transfer, artificial insemination, zygote intra fallopian transfer and intracytoplasmic sperm injection, if the required health care services are contrary to the religious employer's bona fide religious tenets. The health maintenance organization that issues a contract containing such an exclusion shall provide written notice thereof to each prospective enrollee or enrollee, which shall appear in not less than ten point type, in the contract, application and sales brochure. For the purposes of this subsection, "religious employer" means an employer that is a church, convention or association of churches or any group or entity that is operated, supervised or controlled by or in connection with a church or a convention or association of churches as defined in 26 U.S.C. s.3121(w)(3)(A), and that qualifies as a tax-exempt organization under 26 U.S.C. s.501(c)(3).
c. The provisions of this section shall apply to those contracts for health care services by health maintenance organizations under which the right to change the schedule of charges for enrollee coverage is reserved.
d. The provisions of this section shall not apply to a contract for health care services by a health maintenance organization which, pursuant to a contract between the health maintenance organization and the Department of Human Services, provides benefits to persons who are eligible for medical assistance under P.L.1968, c.413 (C.30:4D-1 et seq.), the [Children's Health Care Coverage Program under P.L.1997, c.272 (C.30:4I-1 et seq.), the FamilyCare Health Coverage Program under P.L.2000, c.71 (C.30:4J-1 et seq.)] NJ FamilyCare Program under P.L.2005, c.156 (C.30:4J-8 et al.), or any other program administered by the Division of Medical Assistance and Health Services in the Department of Human Services.
(cf: P.L.2001, c.236, s.5)
7. This act shall take effect on the 90th day after enactment and shall apply to policies or contracts issued or renewed on or after the effective date.
STATEMENT
This bill amends P.L.2001, c.236 to require certain health insurers to provide coverage for specified fertility preservation procedures in a covered woman undergoing certain cancer treatments that may damage her reproductive system.
Specifically, the bill applies to hospital, medical and health service corporations, commercial group insurers and health maintenance organizations that provide pregnancy-related benefits to groups of more than 50 persons and are required to provide coverage for medically necessary expenses incurred in the diagnosis and treatment of infertility under P.L.2001, c.236. This bill extends the required coverage to include oocyte cryopreservation for the prevention of infertility in women undergoing chemotherapy or radiation therapy for the treatment of cancer.
The bill defines "oocyte cryopreservation" as the process by which hormones are administered to foster the development of ovarian follicles and the woman's unfertilized eggs are removed and frozen, but does not include storage of the frozen eggs.
The bill takes effect on the 90th day after enactment and applies to insurance policies or contracts issued or renewed on or after its effective date.
The need for this bill is predicated on the following considerations:
· The drugs that kill cancer cells can also destroy a woman's eggs;
· Studies indicate that young women undergoing chemotherapy or radiation therapy have a 40% to 80% chance of subsequent infertility;
· Cancer patients are living longer and want to preserve their ability to bear children;
· At an average of $8,000, the cost of oocyte cryopreservation is such that most persons would not be able to afford to pay for it out-of-pocket (and this excludes the $350 average annual storage fee for frozen eggs that is not included in the coverage required by this bill); and
· Through the enactment of P.L.2001, c.236, the State has recognized the public interest to be served by assisting New Jersey families to receive diagnosis and treatment of infertility; and this bill provides a narrowly tailored enhancement to the insurance benefits provided under that law, which is consistent with public policy, by helping women with cancer to preserve their ability to have children after receiving the cancer treatments that are necessary to save their lives.
