LEGISLATIVE FISCAL ESTIMATE

[First Reprint]

SENATE, No. 3047

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

221st LEGISLATURE

 

DATED: AUGUST 13, 2025

 

 

SUMMARY

 

Synopsis:

Establishes requirements to evaluate certain people who are pregnant and who have given birth for preeclampsia.

Type of Impact:

Annual State cost and revenue increases.

Agencies Affected:

Department of Health, Department of Human Services, Department of Law and Public Safety.

 

 

Office of Legislative Services Estimate

Fiscal Impact

 

Annual State Cost Increase – NJ FamilyCare

Indeterminate

Annual State Revenue Increase

Indeterminate

 

 

·         The Office of Legislative Services (OLS) determines that, to the extent that individuals covered under NJ FamilyCare, the State’s Medicaid program, receive additional or more intensive treatment, in the form of evaluation for and counseling concerning hypertensive disorders related to pregnancy, NJ FamilyCare expenditures would increase by an indeterminate amount annually.  These expenditures would be eligible for additional federal Medicaid matching funds, thereby increasing State revenues by an indeterminate amount.

 

·         There is the potential for annual cost savings under the NJ FamilyCare program if the bill’s requirements were to cause positive health outcomes that reduce future treatment costs.

 

 

BILL DESCRIPTION

 

      The bill directs licensed birthing centers, federally qualified health centers, and health care practitioners providing prenatal care to a pregnant person or postpartum care to a person within 12 weeks of giving birth to adopt and adhere to policies requiring the person to be evaluated for pregnancy-related hypertensive disorders, including postpartum preeclampsia and hypertension, if the person shows symptoms of the condition and has not in the current or recent pregnancy been diagnosed with the condition, or is currently experiencing symptoms.  The bill stipulates that the affected health care facilities and practitioners will utilize evaluation tools that are based on best practices and guidance, as determined by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists or another nationally-recognized body.

      The relevant health care entities and practitioners providing prenatal and postpartum care to a person within 12 weeks of giving birth are required to, in accordance with nationally recognized evidence-based treatment practices: provide the person with evidence-based information on pregnancy-related hypertensive disorders and potential warning signs and symptoms of such disorders; inform the person of the benefits of being evaluated for such disorders if the person develops any symptoms and that the person should be evaluated unless the person declines; and, discuss the evaluation results with the person and, if the person’s evaluation is positive for preeclampsia, develop an evidence-based treatment plan to minimize the person’s risk.

 

 

FISCAL ANALYSIS

 

EXECUTIVE BRANCH

 

      None received.

 

OFFICE OF LEGISLATIVE SERVICES

 

      The OLS concludes that, to the extent that individuals covered under NJ FamilyCare, the State’s Medicaid program, receive additional or more intensive treatment, in the form of evaluation for and counseling concerning hypertensive disorders related to pregnancy, NJ FamilyCare expenditures would increase by an indeterminate amount annually.  The OLS lacks the informational basis to determine how the number of patient evaluations for, and counseling concerning, pregnancy-related hypertensive disorders may change as a result of the bill and by how much the associated State costs would increase.  However, increased NJ FamilyCare expenditures would be eligible for additional federal Medicaid matching funds, thereby increasing State revenues annually, albeit by an indeterminate amount. 

      The OLS also notes that there is the potential for annual cost savings under the NJ FamilyCare program if the bill’s requirements were to cause positive health outcomes that reduce future treatment costs.

      The Department of Health and the Board of Medical Examiners and the Board of Nursing in the Department of Law and Public Safety will incur an indeterminate amount of administrative costs that could be absorbed by current staff using existing resources.

 

 

Section:

Human Services

Analyst:

Anne Cappabianca

Senior Fiscal Analyst

Approved:

Thomas Koenig

Legislative Budget and Finance Officer

 

 

This legislative fiscal estimate has been produced by the Office of Legislative Services due to the failure of the Executive Branch to respond to our request for a fiscal note.

 

This fiscal estimate has been prepared pursuant to P.L.1980, c.67 (C.52:13B-6 et seq.).