Requires hospital employees assist uninsured patients with creating account to apply for insurance coverage through Federally-Facilitated Marketplace.
Impact
The enactment of A4544 could have significant implications for healthcare access in New Jersey. By requiring trained hospital employees to engage with potentially uninsured patients at discharge, the bill aims to integrate health insurance access directly into hospital care practices. This could facilitate smoother transitions for patients into health coverage, particularly at a critical juncture when they are being discharged from medical care.
Summary
Bill A4544 proposes that designated hospital employees in New Jersey must assist uninsured patients in creating accounts to access health insurance through the Federally-Facilitated Marketplace as established by the Affordable Care Act. The objective of this legislation is to ensure that patients without health coverage are provided with the necessary support to understand and utilize resources for obtaining health insurance, thus potentially reducing the number of uninsured individuals accessing hospital services.
Contention
Despite the apparent benefits of facilitating health insurance access, the bill may face contention regarding the responsibilities placed on hospital employees. Critics could argue about the adequacy of training for employees to navigate the complexities of health insurance enrollment and whether such tasks detract from their primary healthcare duties. Additionally, concerns about privacy, informed consent, and the efficiency of implementing these requirements could be raised by healthcare professionals and legal experts.
Same As
Requires hospital employees assist uninsured patients with creating account to apply for insurance coverage through Federally-Facilitated Marketplace.
Requirements for hospitals to screen patients for eligibility for health coverage or assistance established, affidavit of expert review required before debt collection activities, and hospital charges limited for uninsured treatments and services for patients.
Requires hospitals to screen uninsured patients for public assistance and creates a pilot program for out of hospital service upon expiration of similar federal program.
Requires hospitals to perform psychological and psychiatric evaluations on certain patients and requires health insurance coverage for such evaluations.
Requires hospitals to perform psychological and psychiatric evaluations on certain patients and requires health insurance coverage for such evaluations.
Authorizes health care professionals to engage in the use of remote patient monitoring devices; requires health care insurance coverage by certain insurers for remote patient monitoring devices.