Sponsored by:
Senator LORETTA WEINBERG
District 37 (Bergen)
SYNOPSIS
Requires health insurers, SHBP and SEHBP to provide coverage for digital tomosynthesis for screening and diagnostic purposes related to breast cancer.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act requiring health insurance coverage for digital tomosynthesis of the breast and supplementing various parts of the statutory law.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. A hospital service corporation contract that provides hospital and medical expense benefits and is delivered, issued, executed or renewed in this State pursuant to P.L.1938, c.366 (C.17:48-1 et seq.), 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, shall provide coverage for expenses incurred in conducting digital tomosynthesis to detect or screen for breast cancer in women 40 years of age and over; and for diagnostic purposes in women of any age.
b. The benefits provided by this section shall be provided to the same extent and with the same deductibles, coinsurance, and other cost sharing as apply to similar services under the contract.
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.
2. a. A medical service corporation contract that provides hospital and medical expense benefits and is delivered, issued, executed or renewed in this State pursuant to P.L.1940, c.74 (C.17:48A-1 et seq.), 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, shall provide coverage for expenses incurred in conducting digital tomosynthesis to detect or screen for breast cancer in women 40 years of age and over; and for diagnostic purposes in women of any age.
b. The benefits provided by this section shall be provided to the same extent and with the same deductibles, coinsurance, and other cost sharing as apply to similar services under the contract.
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.
3. a. A health service corporation contract that provides hospital and medical expense benefits and is delivered, issued, executed or renewed in this State pursuant to P.L.1985, c.236 (C.17:48E-1 et seq.), 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, shall provide coverage for expenses incurred in conducting digital tomosynthesis to detect or screen for breast cancer in women 40 years of age and over; and for diagnostic purposes in women of any age.
b. The benefits provided by this section shall be provided to the same extent and with the same deductibles, coinsurance, and other cost sharing as apply to similar services under the contract.
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.
4. a. An individual health insurance policy that provides hospital and medical expense benefits and is delivered, issued, executed or renewed in this State pursuant to N.J.S.17B:26-1 et seq., 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, shall provide coverage for expenses incurred in conducting digital tomosynthesis to detect or screen for breast cancer in women 40 years of age and over; and for diagnostic purposes in women of any age.
b. The benefits provided by this section shall be provided to the same extent and with the same deductibles, coinsurance, and other cost sharing as apply to similar services under the policy.
c. This section shall apply to those individual health insurance policies in which the insurer has reserved the right to change the premium.
5. a. A group health insurance policy that provides hospital and medical expense benefits and is delivered, issued, executed or renewed in this State pursuant to N.J.S.17B:27-26 et seq., 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, shall provide coverage for expenses incurred in conducting digital tomosynthesis to detect or screen for breast cancer in women 40 years of age and over; and for diagnostic purposes in women of any age.
b. The benefits provided by this section shall be provided to the same extent and with the same deductibles, coinsurance, and other cost sharing as apply to similar services under the policy.
c. This section shall apply to those group health insurance policies in which the insurer has reserved the right to change the premium.
6. a. An individual health benefits plan that provides hospital and medical expense benefits and is delivered, issued, executed or renewed in this State pursuant to P.L.1992, c.161 (C.17B:27A-2 et seq.), 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, shall provide coverage for expenses incurred in conducting digital tomosynthesis to detect or screen for breast cancer in women 40 years of age and over; and for diagnostic purposes in women of any age.
b. The benefits provided by this section shall be provided to the same extent and with the same deductibles, coinsurance, and other cost sharing as apply to similar services under the health benefits plan.
c. This section shall apply to those health benefits plans in which the carrier has reserved the right to change the premium.
7. a. A small employer health benefits plan that provides hospital and medical expense benefits and is delivered, issued, executed or renewed in this State pursuant to P.L.1992, c.162 (C.17B:27A-17 et seq.), 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, shall provide coverage for expenses incurred in conducting digital tomosynthesis to detect or screen for breast cancer in women 40 years of age and over; and for diagnostic purposes in women of any age.
b. The benefits provided by this section shall be provided to the same extent and with the same deductibles, coinsurance, and other cost sharing as apply to similar services under the health benefits plan.
c. This section shall apply to those health benefits plans in which the carrier has reserved the right to change the premium.
8. a. A health maintenance organization contract for health care services that is delivered, issued, executed, or renewed in this State pursuant to P.L.1973, c.337 (C.26:2J-1 et seq.), 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, shall provide coverage for expenses incurred in conducting digital tomosynthesis to detect or screen for breast cancer in women 40 years of age and over; and for diagnostic purposes in women of any age.
b. The benefits provided by this section shall be provided to the same extent and with the same deductibles, coinsurance, and other cost sharing as apply to similar services under the contract for services.
c. This section shall apply to those contracts for health care services under which the health maintenance organization has reserved the right to change the schedule of charges for enrollee coverage.
9. a. The State Health Benefits Commission shall ensure that every contract purchased by the commission on or after the effective date of this act that provides hospital and medical expense benefits shall provide coverage for expenses incurred in conducting digital tomosynthesis to detect or screen for breast cancer in women 40 years of age and over; and for diagnostic purposes in women of any age.
b. The benefits provided by this section shall be provided to the same extent and with the same deductibles, coinsurance, and other cost sharing as apply to similar services under the contract.
10. a. The School Employees' Health Benefits Commission shall ensure that every contract purchased by the commission on or after the effective date of this act that provides hospital and medical expense benefits shall provide coverage for expenses incurred in conducting digital tomosynthesis to detect or screen for breast cancer in women 40 years of age and over; and for diagnostic purposes in women of any age.
b. The benefits provided by this section shall be provided to the same extent and with the same deductibles, coinsurance, and other cost sharing as apply to similar services under the contract.
11. This act shall take effect on the first day of the seventh month next following enactment.
STATEMENT
This bill requires health insurers and health maintenance organizations, as well as health benefits plans or contracts which are issued or purchased pursuant to the New Jersey Individual Health Coverage Program, New Jersey Small Employer Health Benefits Program, State Health Benefits Program, and School Employees' Health Benefits Program, to provide coverage for expenses incurred in conducting digital tomosynthesis to detect or screen for breast cancer in women 40 years of age and over; and for diagnostic purposes in women of any age.
Digital tomosynthesis, also sometimes called 3-D mammography, creates a three-dimensional picture of the breast using x-rays. Several low-dose images from different angles around the breast are used to create the final 3-D picture. Conventional mammography produces one image of overlapping tissue, while tomosynthesis provides multiple pictures of breast tissue as the scanner moves in an arc. The difference between the images produced by tomosynthesis and conventional mammography has been described as being akin to a ball (three dimensional) versus a circle (flat).