This bill requires four-year public colleges in New Jersey to create and maintain a reproductive health services plan for students, while county colleges must establish a referral network to off-campus reproductive health providers. The plan must ensure access to contraception (including emergency contraception via vending machines or 24-hour options), STI/HIV testing/treatment, prenatal care, and abortion services through campus clinics or verified referrals. It specifically addresses student barriers like limited pharmacy access and lack of transportation by mandating campus-based options and community referrals. The bill does not require institutions to directly provide abortion services but ensures students can access care through structured pathways.
This bill (A4181) allows New Jersey pharmacists to provide emergency supplies of **chronic maintenance drugs** without a current prescription under specific conditions. It directly affects **patients needing urgent access to ongoing medications** (like for diabetes or hypertension) when a refill is unavailable, and **pharmacists** who must follow strict criteria: the pharmacy must have a prior prescription record without a valid refill, the pharmacist must have tried but failed to contact the prescribing provider, and the drug must not be a controlled substance. The emergency supply is limited to a **30-day amount** (or standard unit size), and pharmacists receive **civil immunity** from liability unless gross negligence occurs. The bill does not change existing rules for 72-hour emergency supplies under current regulations.
New Jersey's S 3573 regulates pharmacy benefits managers (PBMs) and health insurance carriers to protect patients and pharmacies. The bill directly affects patients, pharmacies, and health plans by banning "steering" (directing patients to affiliated pharmacies), requiring PBMs to charge health plans the same price they pay pharmacies, and prohibiting excessive copays or withholding cost-saving information. Key provisions include banning restrictions on mail-order prescriptions, mandating transparency on price differences between pharmacies and plans, and prohibiting PBMs from sharing patient data for commercial purposes. The law aims to reduce drug costs, expand pharmacy choice, and improve access to care - particularly for rural patients and those with chronic conditions - as highlighted in the legislative findings.
This bill exempts drug manufacturers and distributors from New Jersey's pharmacy licensing requirements when distributing dialysate drugs and devices used for home dialysis treatment of end-stage renal disease patients. It directly affects dialysis manufacturers, distributors, and patients receiving home dialysis, allowing them to bypass standard pharmacy licensing rules under six specific conditions. Key provisions include requiring FDA approval, direct delivery only upon physician orders, original sealed packaging, and mandatory weekly quality checks by a consultant pharmacist. The law ensures these products are handled safely while streamlining access for patients needing home dialysis.
This New Jersey bill prohibits nursing homes from blocking patients who use the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) prescription drug program. Nursing homes may not restrict access to VA medications but can require drugs to be dispensed according to their facility's standard policies. It directly affects veterans and eligible patients residing in New Jersey nursing homes who participate in VA drug coverage. The law takes effect immediately upon enactment.
This bill establishes clear rules for audits of pharmacies conducted by entities like insurance companies or pharmacy benefit managers. It requires 14 days' notice before an audit, limits audits to 100 prescriptions per audit (and 200 annually), and prohibits recouping costs for simple clerical errors like typos or data entry mistakes. Pharmacies must be given 60 days to address discrepancies found in audits, and audits cannot occur during the first week of any month without consent. The law ensures audits are conducted fairly, with pharmacist oversight for clinical issues, and bans duplicate audits by the same entity within six months.
S 3381 prohibits pharmacy benefits managers (PBMs) from owning or operating pharmacies directly or indirectly in New Jersey. The law requires PBMs to divest existing pharmacy ownership by July 2027, aiming to prevent conflicts where PBMs set drug prices while also running pharmacies. This affects PBMs with pharmacy holdings and aims to increase competition for patients by reducing anticompetitive practices that limit pharmacy choices and may raise drug costs. The bill focuses on structural changes to the pharmacy market, not on specific drug pricing outcomes.
This bill prohibits pharmacies and businesses with on-site pharmacies in New Jersey from selling tobacco products (including cigarettes and smokeless tobacco) or electronic smoking devices (like vapes and e-cigarettes) and their components. It directly affects pharmacy owners and retail businesses operating with pharmacies, such as grocery stores with in-house pharmacies. Exceptions include FDA-approved smoking cessation products and medical cannabis dispensaries serving registered patients. Violations carry escalating civil penalties starting at $250 for the first offense, with potential disciplinary action from the Board of Pharmacy.
This bill requires New Jersey's Department of Health (DOH) to maintain an emergency stockpile of insulin containing the 10 most common brands and types used by residents. It authorizes the DOH to provide a one-time 30-day emergency insulin supply at cost to residents whose supply runs out before their next prescription can be filled, with exceptions for demonstrated need. Pharmacists may also dispense one 30-day emergency supply annually under specific conditions, such as when a prescriber cannot authorize more insulin. The DOH must reevaluate the stockpile quarterly, collaborate on insulin selection, and report dispensing to the state's prescription monitoring database. This directly affects New Jersey residents facing insulin shortages, creating a state-managed safety net for emergency access.
This bill prohibits New Jersey's State Health Benefits Program (SHBP), School Employees' Health Benefits Program (SEHBP), and Medicaid from denying coverage for maintenance medications treating chronic conditions when a person's health plan or pharmacy benefits manager changes. It specifically prevents coverage loss if the person was already taking the medication before the change and the new plan covers that medication class. The law applies to all covered individuals under these programs who experience such plan transitions. It ensures continuity of essential medications without requiring new prior authorizations due to administrative changes.
