SENATE COMMERCE COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

SENATE, No. 760

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  FEBRUARY 10, 2022

      The Senate Commerce Committee reports favorably Senate Bill No. 760.

This bill would amend the “New Jersey Health Care Consumer Information Act,” P.L.2003, c.96 (C.45:9-22.21 et seq.) by requiring the Division of Consumer Affairs to develop and maintain publicly-accessible profiles of all health care professionals licensed by the division. Currently, only physicians, podiatrists, and optometrists have such profiles. The bill would incorporate, as applicable, these health care professions into the current statute.

     The bill would also expand the information collected for a profile on a health care professional to include: 1) restrictions placed on health care professionals in New Jersey-based or out-of-State facilities; 2) any Medicare or Medicaid exclusions; 3) any actions taken by federal regulators such as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration or Drug Enforcement Agency; and 4) any other information required pursuant to regulation from the Division of Consumer Affairs. 

     The bill would also require the division to post on the website it maintains for the License Verification System a disclaimer that the verification system only contains information on the license status of health care professionals and that extensive background information on New Jersey-licensed health care professionals is available at the website maintained by the division under the requirements of the “New Jersey Health Care Consumer Information Act,” P.L.2003, c.96 (C.45:9-22.21 et seq.).

     Lastly, the bill would establish an effective date of the first day of the thirteenth month next following enactment.

This bill was pre-filed for introduction in the 2022-2023 session pending technical review. As reported, the bill includes the changes required by technical review, which has been performed.