Bill Text: NJ S1844 | 2020-2021 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Requires hospitals to include warning in patient discharge papers concerning risks of addiction and overdose associated with opioid medications.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2020-02-24 - Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee [S1844 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2020-S1844-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Senator NICHOLAS P. SCUTARI
District 22 (Middlesex, Somerset and Union)
SYNOPSIS
Requires hospitals to include warning in patient discharge papers concerning risks of addiction and overdose associated with opioid medications.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning hospitals and supplementing Title 26 of the Revised Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. Each general acute care hospital licensed pursuant to P.L.1971, c.136 (C.26:2H-1 et seq.) shall include with patient discharge papers, provided that the patient is discharged from the hospital with a prescription for an opioid drug, information concerning the risks of addiction, overdose, and death associated with the use of opioid medications. The informational materials shall include contact information for substance use disorder treatment and recovery resources for those seeking treatment for a substance use disorder involving opioids. The Department of Health shall develop informational materials that hospitals may use for the purposes of complying with the requirements of this section.
2. This act shall take effect 60 days after the date of enactment, except that the Commissioner of Health may take any administrative action in advance thereof as shall be necessary to implement the provisions of this act.
STATEMENT
This bill requires all general acute care hospitals to include with discharge papers for patients discharged from the hospital with a prescription for an opioid drug information concerning the risks of addiction, overdose, and death associated with the use of opioid medications. The information is to include contact information for substance use disorder treatment and recovery resources. The Department of Health will be required to develop informational materials that may be used by hospitals for the purpose of complying with the requirements of the bill. The bill will take effect 60 days after the date of enactment, but the Commissioner of Health will be authorized to take any advance administrative action as may be necessary to implement the provisions of the bill.
