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A1937
ASSEMBLY, No. 1937
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
222nd LEGISLATURE
�
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2026 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman ANNETTE QUIJANO
District 20 (Union)
Assemblywoman VERLINA REYNOLDS-JACKSON
District 15 (Hunterdon and Mercer)
Assemblywoman SHAMA A. HAIDER
District 37 (Bergen)
SYNOPSIS
���� Requires health insurance companies to cover lead
screenings for children 16 years of age or younger.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
���� Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative
Counsel.
��
An Act
concerning health insurance coverage for lead screenings
for children 16 years of age or , amending P.L.1995, c.316 and P.L.1995, c.328.
����
Be It
Enacted
by the Senate and General Assembly of
the State of New Jersey:
���� 1.��� Section 7 of P.L.1995,
c.316 (26:2-137.1) is amended to read as follows:
���� 7.��� The Department of Health
shall specify by regulation, pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure
Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.):
���� a.��� The lead screening
requirements provided for under P.L.1995, c.316 (C.17:48E-35.10 et al.),
including the age of the child when initial screening should be conducted, the
time intervals between screening, when follow-up testing is required, the
methods that shall be used to conduct the lead screening, and, in accordance
with the latest recommendations of the federal Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention and the provisions of P.L.1995, c.328 (C.26:2-137.2 et seq.), the
level of lead in the bloodstream that shall necessitate the undertaking of
responsive action
.� Any regulations adopted pursuant to this subsection
shall be consistent with the provisions of P.L.1995, c.328 (26:2-137.2 et seq.)
;
and
���� b.��� The childhood
immunizations recommended by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices
of the United States Public Health Service and the Department of Health.
(cf: P.L.2017, c.7, s.2)
���� 2.��� Section 3 of P.L.1995,
c.328 (C.26:2-137.4) is amended to read as follows:
���� 3.��� a. A physician or
registered professional nurse, as appropriate, shall perform lead screening on
each patient
[
under
six
]
16
years of age
or younger
to whom the physician or registered professional
nurse provides health care services, unless the physician or registered
professional nurse has knowledge that the child has already undergone lead
screening in accordance with the requirements of this act.� If the physician,
registered professional nurse, or an authorized staff member cannot perform the
required lead screening, the physician or registered professional nurse may
refer the patient, in writing, to another physician, registered professional
nurse, health care facility, or designated agency or program which is able to
perform the lead screening.
���� b.��� A health care facility
that serves children and is licensed pursuant to P.L.1971, c.136 (C.26:2H-1 et
seq.), and any other agency or program that serves children and is designated
by the
commissioner to perform lead
screening, shall perform lead screening on each child
[
under six
]
16
years
of age
or younger
that the facility, agency, or program serves, unless
the facility, agency, or program has knowledge that the child has already
undergone lead screening in accordance with the requirements of this act.� If
the health care facility, agency, or program cannot perform the required lead
screening, the facility, agency, or program may refer the patient, in writing,
to another health care facility, physician, registered professional nurse, or
other designated agency or program which is able to perform the lead screening.
���� c.��� If a physician,
registered professional nurse, or health care facility, agency, or program
receives laboratory test results indicating that a child has an elevated blood
lead level, the physician, registered professional nurse, or health care
facility, agency, or program shall notify the parent or guardian of the child,
in writing, about the test results, and shall additionally provide the parent
or guardian with an explanation, in plain language, of the significance of lead
poisoning.� The physician, registered professional nurse, or health care
facility, agency, or program shall also take appropriate measures to ensure
that any of the child's siblings or other members of the household who are
[
under the age
of six
]
16 years of age or younger
either are, or have been, screened for lead
exposure.
���� d.��� A physician, registered
professional nurse, or health care facility, agency, or program shall not be
required to conduct lead screening under this act if the parent or guardian of
the child objects to the testing in writing.
���� e.��� (1) The department shall
specify, by regulation, the parameters for lead screening required under this
act, including the age of the child when initial screening shall be conducted,
the time intervals between screening, when follow-up testing is required, and
the methods that shall be used to conduct the lead screening.
���� (2)� (a)� The department shall
additionally specify, by regulation, in accordance with the most recent
recommendations of the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the
elevated blood lead levels that require responsive action under this act, and
the types of responsive action, including environmental follow-up, notice to
the family, additional screening of family members, the provision of case
management services, and the provision of medical treatment such as chelation
therapy, that shall be undertaken when a screening test reveals an elevated
blood lead level.� The levels of responsive action required by the department
pursuant to this paragraph may vary, consistent with the latest recommendations
of the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, based on the
severity of the elevated blood lead level.�
���� (b)� Within 30 days after the
enactment of P.L.2017, c.7, and on a biennial basis thereafter, the department
shall review and appropriately revise its rules and regulations pertaining to
elevated blood lead levels, in order to ensure that they appropriately reflect,
and are consistent with, the latest guidance from the federal Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention.�
���� f.���� The department shall
develop a mechanism, such as distribution of lead screening record cards or
other appropriate means, by which children who have undergone lead screening
can be identified by physicians, registered professional nurses, and health
care facilities, agencies, and programs that perform lead screening, so as to
avoid duplicate lead screening of children.
���� g.��� The department shall
continuously engage in a public information campaign to inform the parents of
young children, as well as physicians, registered professional nurses, and
other health care providers, of the lead screening requirements of this act.�
At a minimum, the public information campaign shall:� (1) highlight the
importance of lead screening, and encourage parents, especially those who have
not yet complied with the lead screening provisions of this act, to have their
children screened for lead poisoning at regular intervals, in accordance with
the age-based timeframes established by department regulation; and (2) provide
for the widespread dissemination of information to parents and health care
providers on the dangers of lead poisoning, the factors that contribute to lead
poisoning, the recommended ages at which children should be tested for lead
poisoning, and the elevated blood lead levels that require responsive action
under this act.� If the department changes the elevated blood lead levels that
require responsive action under this act, as may be necessary to conform its
regulations to federal guidance, the information disseminated through the
public information campaign shall be appropriately revised to reflect the new
action levels, and shall be reissued to parents and health care providers,
within 30 days after the change is implemented.�
���� h.��� The department, to the
greatest extent possible, shall coordinate payment for lead screening required
pursuant to this act with the State Medicaid program established pursuant to
P.L.1968, c.413 (C.30:4D-1 et seq.) and other federal children's health programs,
so as to ensure that the State receives the maximum amount of federal financial
participation available for the lead screening services provided pursuant to
this act.
(cf: P.L.2017, c.7, s.5.)
���� 3.��� This act shall take
effect on the 90th day after the date of enactment.
STATEMENT
���� This bill requires health
insurance companies to cover lead screenings for children 16 years of age or
younger.� Under current law, health insurance companies are only required to
cover screenings by blood lead measurement for children under the age of six.
���� This bill will help protect
the children of New Jersey from the harms of lead poisoning and elevated blood
lead levels.� There is no safe level of lead exposure in children, as even low
levels of lead in the bloodstream can stunt a child�s development.� By
requiring health insurance companies to cover lead screenings in children who
are 16 years of age or younger, the State will be taking a substantial step to
detect lead exposure in children before it is too late.