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S4188
SENATE, No. 4188
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
222nd LEGISLATURE
�
INTRODUCED MAY 11, 2026
Sponsored by:
Senator� ANGELA V. MCKNIGHT
District 31 (Hudson)
SYNOPSIS
���� Requires SHBP, SEHBP, and NJ FamilyCare to cover
kidney disease education services; Requires DOH to develop policies and
procedures regarding kidney disease education services.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
���� As introduced.
��
An Act
concerning kidney disease education services and
supplementing various parts of the statutory law.
����
Be It
Enacted
by the Senate and General Assembly of
the State of New Jersey:
���� 1.��� a. The State Health
Benefits Commission shall ensure that every contract providing hospital or
medical expense benefits, which is purchased by the commission on or after the
effective date of this act, shall provide coverage for kidney disease education
services provided by a health care professional according to the policies and
procedures developed by the Commissioner of Health pursuant to section 4 of
P.L.��� , c.��� (C.������� ) (pending before the
Legislature as this bill)
to a subscriber with kidney disease who
requires dialysis or a kidney transplant, as determined by a health care
professional.�
���� b.��� As used in this section,
�kidney disease education services� means comprehensive information,
communicated in a verbal manner over the course of one or more encounters prior
to an appointment for dialysis or a kidney transplant, regarding: (1) the
management of comorbidities with kidney disease; (2) the prevention of uremic
complications; and (3) each option for renal replacement therapy, including
peritoneal dialysis, hemodialysis, and transplantation.� �Kidney disease
education services� shall also ensure that the beneficiary has the opportunity
to actively participate in the choice of renal replacement therapy.
���� 2���� a. The School Employees�
Health Benefits Commission� shall ensure that every contract providing hospital
or medical� expense benefits, which is purchased by the commission on or after
the effective date of this act, shall provide coverage for kidney disease
education services provided by a health care professional according to the
policies and procedures developed by the Commissioner of Health pursuant to
section 4 of
P.L.��� , c.��� (C. )
(pending before the Legislature as this bill)
to a subscriber with
kidney disease who requires dialysis or a kidney transplant, as determined by a
health care professional.�
���� b.��� As used in this section,
�kidney disease education services� means comprehensive information, communicated
in a verbal manner over the course of one or more encounters prior to an
appointment for dialysis or a kidney transplant, regarding: (1) the management
of comorbidities with kidney disease; (2) the prevention of uremic
complications; and (3) each option for renal replacement therapy, including
peritoneal dialysis, hemodialysis, and transplantation.� �Kidney disease
education services� shall also ensure that the beneficiary has the opportunity
to actively participate in the choice of renal replacement therapy.
���� 3.��� a. The NJ FamilyCare
program shall provide coverage for kidney disease education services provided
by a health care professional according to the policies and procedures
developed by the Commissioner of Health pursuant to section 4 of
P.L.��� , c.��� (C. )
(pending before the Legislature as this bill)
to a beneficiary with
kidney disease who requires dialysis or a kidney transplant, as determined by a
health care professional.�
���� b. The Commissioner of Human
Services shall apply for such federal waivers or state plan amendments as are
necessary to implement the provisions of this section and to continue to secure
federal financial participation for State expenditures under the federal
Medicaid program and the Children�s Health Insurance Program.
���� c.���� Coverage of kidney
disease education services under the NJ FamilyCare program, pursuant to this
section, is contingent upon federal approval of the State�s application for a
waiver or a state plan amendment under Title XIX of the Social 22 Security Act
(42 U.S.C. s.1315 et seq.).
���� d.��� As used in this section:
���� �Kidney disease education
services� means comprehensive information, communicated in a verbal manner over
the course of one or more encounters prior to an appointment for dialysis or a
kidney transplant, regarding: (1) the management of comorbidities with kidney
disease; (2) the prevention of uremic complications; and (3) each option for
renal replacement therapy, including peritoneal dialysis, hemodialysis, and
transplantation.� �Kidney disease education services� shall also ensure that
the beneficiary has the opportunity to actively participate in the choice of
renal replacement therapy.
���� �NJ FamilyCare� means
the State-branded name given to the Medicaid program
established pursuant to P.L.1968, c.413 (C.30:4D-1 et seq.) and the program
established pursuant to P.L.2005, c.156 (C.30:4J-8 et al.) which includes the
Children�s Health Benefits Program.
���� 4.��� a. The Commissioner of
Health, in consultation with physicians, health educators, professional
organizations, accrediting organizations, kidney patient organizations,
dialysis facilities, transplant centers, and any other knowledgeable entity, shall
develop policies and procedures regarding the provision of kidney disease
education services by a healthcare professional to a patient with kidney
disease who requires dialysis or a kidney transplant.
���� b.��� As used in this section,
�kidney disease education services� means comprehensive information,
communicated in a verbal manner over the course of one or more encounters prior
to an appointment for dialysis or a kidney transplant, regarding: (1) the
management of comorbidities with kidney disease; (2) the prevention of uremic
complications; and (3) each option for renal replacement therapy, including
peritoneal dialysis, hemodialysis, and transplantation.� �Kidney disease
education services� shall also ensure that the patient has the opportunity to
actively participate in the choice of renal replacement therapy.
���� 5.��� The State Treasurer, the
Commissioner of Human Services, and the Commissioner of Health, pursuant to the
�Administrative Procedure Act,� P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), shall
adopt such rules and regulations as may be necessary to implement the provisions
of this act.
���� 6.��� This act shall take
effect on the first day of the seventh month next following the date of
enactment, except that the State Treasurer, the Commissioner of Human Services,
and the Commissioner of Health may take any anticipatory administrative action
in advance thereof as may be necessary for the implementation of this act.
STATEMENT
���� This bill requires the State
Health Benefits Program, the School Employees Health Benefits Program, and the NJ
FamilyCare program to provide coverage for kidney disease education services
provided by a health care professional, according to the policies and
procedures developed by the Commissioner of Health under the bill, to a
subscriber or beneficiary with kidney disease who requires dialysis or a kidney
transplant, as determined by a health care professional.� The bill directs the
Commissioner of Health to develop such policies and procedures in consultation
with physicians, health educators, professional organizations, accrediting
organizations, kidney patient organizations, dialysis facilities, transplant
centers, and any other knowledgeable entity.�
���� As used in the bill, �kidney
disease education services� means comprehensive information, communicated in a
verbal manner over the course of one or more encounters prior to an appointment
for dialysis or a kidney transplant, regarding: (1) the management of
comorbidities with kidney disease; (2) the prevention of uremic complications;
and (3) each option for renal replacement therapy, including peritoneal
dialysis, hemodialysis, and transplantation.� �Kidney disease education
services� are to ensure that the patient has the opportunity to actively
participate in the choice of renal replacement therapy.