SENATE COMMERCE COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

SENATE, No. 1192

with committee amendments

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  MAY 13, 2024

      The Senate Commerce Committee reports favorably and with committee amendments Senate Bill No. 1192.

     As amended, this bill requires health insurance carriers and the State Medicaid and NJ FamilyCare programs to provide coverage for a prescription drug prescribed for serious mental illness to covered persons without the imposition of any prior authorization or other utilization management requirements, including, but not limited to, a step therapy protocol.

     Under the bill, “carrier" is defined to mean an insurance company, health service corporation, hospital service corporation, medical service corporation, or health maintenance organization authorized to issue health benefits plans in this State or any entity contracted to administer health benefits in connection with the State Health Benefits Program or School Employees' Health Benefits Program.

     The bill defines “serious mental illness” to mean the following psychiatric illnesses, as defined in the most current version of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders:

     (1)   bipolar disorders including hypomanic, manic, depressive, and mixed;

     (2)   depression in childhood and adolescence;

     (3)   major depressive disorders, whether a single episode or recurrent, including, but not limited to, any major depressive disorder with peripartum onset;

     (4)   obsessive compulsive disorders;

     (5)   paranoid and other psychotic disorders;

     (6)   schizo-affective disorders including bipolar and depressive;

     (7)   schizophrenia; and

     (8)   post-traumatic stress disorder.

      This bill was pre-filed for introduction in the 2024-2025 session pending technical review.  As reported, the bill includes the changes required by technical review, which has been performed.

COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS:

      The committee amended the bill to stipulate that the definition of “serious mental illness” includes major depressive disorders with peripartum onset and post-traumatic stress disorder.