2017 New Jersey Revised Statutes
TITLE 17B - INSURANCE
Section 17B:27-46.1ee - Group health insurer, coverage for prescription female contraceptives.

17B:27-46.1ee Group health insurer, coverage for prescription female contraceptives.

4. A group health insurer that provides hospital or medical expense benefits for expenses incurred in the purchase of outpatient prescription drugs under a policy shall provide coverage under every such policy 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, for expenses incurred in the purchase of prescription female contraceptives. For the purposes of this section, "prescription female contraceptives" means any drug or device used for contraception by a female, which is approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration for that purpose, that can only be purchased in this State with a prescription written by a health care professional licensed or authorized to write prescriptions, and includes, but is not limited to, birth control pills and diaphragms. The coverage provided shall include prescriptions for dispensing contraceptives for:

a. a three-month period for the first dispensing of the contraceptive; and

b. a six-month period for any subsequent dispensing of the same contraceptive, regardless of whether coverage under the policy was in effect at the time of the first dispensing, except that an entity subject to this section may provide coverage for a supply of contraceptives that is for less than a six-month period, if a six-month period would extend beyond the term of the contract.

A religious employer may request, and an insurer shall grant, an exclusion under the policy for the coverage required by this section if the required coverage conflicts with the religious employer's bona fide religious beliefs and practices. A religious employer that obtains such an exclusion shall provide written notice thereof to prospective insureds and insureds. The provisions of this section shall not be construed as authorizing an insurer to exclude coverage for prescription drugs that are prescribed for reasons other than contraceptive purposes or for prescription female contraceptives that are necessary to preserve the life or health of an insured. For the purposes of this section, "religious employer" means an employer that is a church, convention or association of churches or an elementary or secondary school that is controlled, operated or principally supported by a church or by 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).

The benefits shall be provided to the same extent as for any other outpatient prescription drug under the policy.

This section shall apply to those policies in which the insurer has reserved the right to change the premium.

L.2005, c.251, s.4; amended 2017, c.241, s.4.

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