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Bill

A 4982

Prohibits health insurance carriers from using human body weight as factor in determining coverage for treatment of eating disorders.

2024-2025 Regular Session Introduced by Alixon Collazos-Gill and 3 co-sponsors

New Jersey bill prohibits insurers from denying eating disorder treatment coverage based on patient body weight, aiming to improve access to medically necessary care.

Received in the Senate, Referred to Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee
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Bill Summary · A 4982

Legislative bill overview

Bill A 4982 prohibits health insurance carriers in New Jersey from using body weight as a determining factor when deciding whether to cover treatments for eating disorders. The bill passed the Assembly with overwhelming support (77-1) and is currently under Senate review. It targets a specific barrier that eating disorder patients may face when seeking insurance coverage for necessary medical care.

Why is this important

Eating disorders have the highest mortality rate of any mental illness, yet insurance coverage denials are a documented barrier to treatment access. By removing weight-based coverage criteria, the bill aims to ensure patients can access evidence-based treatments regardless of their body composition. This addresses a practical healthcare access issue that disproportionately affects individuals with conditions like anorexia nervosa, bulimia, and binge eating disorder.

Potential points of contention

  • Insurance underwriting concerns: Insurers may argue that weight-related criteria serve actuarial purposes, and restrictions could increase premiums or limit their ability to assess treatment necessity
  • Definition clarity: The bill may need clearer language defining what constitutes using weight "as a factor"—does this prohibit weight entirely or just prohibit it as a primary criterion?
  • Scope limitations: Critics might argue the bill only addresses insurance coverage decisions and doesn't address underlying gaps in eating disorder treatment capacity, provider networks, or treatment duration limits

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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