Requires health insurance and Medicaid coverage for treatment of stuttering.*

The requirement that benefits be provided without prior authorization or other utilization management requirements was deleted from every section of the bill (hospital service corporations, medical service corporations, health service corporations, individual policies, group policies, HMOs, small employer plans, State Health Benefits Program, School Employees' program, and Medicaid). Insurers can now impose prior authorization and utilization management on stuttering treatment.

The prohibition on deductibles, coinsurance, copayments, annual benefit limits, and other cost-sharing was deleted from every section of the bill. Patients may now face out-of-pocket costs for stuttering treatment that would not apply to other covered services.

The medical necessity standard was expanded. Originally, treatment had to be 'determined medically necessary by the subscriber's medical doctor.' Now it can be 'determined to be medically necessary or neurogenic or developmental by the subscriber's medical doctor or licensed speech-language pathologist.' This broadens both the qualifying conditions and who can make the determination.

A new definition of 'speech-language pathologist' was added in every section, incorporating by reference the definition in section 2 of P.L.1983, c.420 (C.45:3B-2).

Senator Robert W. Singer (District 30) was added as a sponsor and Senators Bramnick and Lagana were added as co-sponsors, indicating broader legislative support.

The explanatory statement at the end of the bill was removed in the reprint version.