SENATE BUDGET AND APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

[First Reprint]

ASSEMBLY, No. 5785

with committee amendments

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  JANUARY 8, 2026

      The Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee reports favorably and with committee amendments Assembly Bill No. 5785 (1R).

      As amended, this bill requires health insurer carriers (health, hospital and medical service corporations, commercial individual and group health insurers; health maintenance organizations, health benefits plans issued pursuant to the New Jersey Individual Health Coverage and Small Employer Health Benefits Programs, the State Health Benefits Program, and the School Employees’ Health Benefits Program) to provide coverage for wellness visits without imposing a waiting period.  Specifically, the bill provides, with respect to an annual wellness visit for a covered member who is over three years of age, a carrier is required to cover only one wellness visit per plan year or calendar year, as provided for under the health benefits plan contract, but may not impose a waiting period for the wellness visit.

      As amended and reported by the committee, Assembly Bill No. 5785 (1R) is identical to Senate Bill No. 4913, which was also amended and reported by the committee on this date.

COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS:

      The committee amended this bill to:

      (1)  remove the provisions of the bill concerning preventive services and duplicative preventive services;

      (2)  provide that a carrier is required to cover only one wellness visit per year, as provided for under the contract, but may not impose a waiting period for the wellness visit; and

      (3)  make the bill’s effective date January 1, 2027.

FISCAL IMPACT:

      Fiscal information for this bill is currently unavailable.