N.J. Stat. tit. 30, ch. 7E

in effect

N.J. Stat. § 30:7E-1 Definitions relative to inmate health care

1. As used in sections 2 thru 6 of this act: a. "Commissioner" means the Commissioner of the Department of Corrections. b. "County" includes any person acting pursuant to a contract with a county who provides services for which a county is entitled to reimbursement or a nominal fee under the provisions of this act. c. "Covered person" means a person who is covered by a plan for health benefits and expenses but not as an enrollee. d. "Enrollee" means the person who receives a certificate or other proof of coverage from a health insurance plan that covers the person for health benefits and expenses. e. "Health insurance plan" means any hospital and medical expense insurance policy; health, hospital or medical service corporation contract or certificate; or health maintenance organization subscriber contract or certificate or dental or vision plan. f. "Inmate" means a person sentenced to imprisonment, or ordered to pretrial or investigative detention, in a State correctional facility or county jail. g. "State" includes any person acting pursuant to a contract with the State who provides services for which the State is entitled to reimbursement or a nominal fee under the provisions of this act. L.1995,c.254,s.1.

N.J. Stat. § 30:7E-2 Liability of inmate for costs

2. a. An inmate shall be liable for the cost of, and be charged a nominal fee for, any medical care, surgery, dental care, hospitalization or treatment provided to the inmate during the inmate's term of incarceration or detention by the State or a county. If the inmate is incarcerated or detained in a State correctional facility or State contracted half-way house, the amount due and payable and the nominal fees charged under the provisions of this act shall be determined by the State Treasurer in accordance with guidelines promulgated by the commissioner. If the inmate is incarcerated or detained in a county jail, the amount due and payable and the nominal fees charged under the provisions of this act shall be determined by the county treasurer in accordance with guidelines promulgated by the county adjustor. b. An inmate may be charged either the full cost of or a nominal fee for any prescription or nonprescription drug or medicine provided to the inmate during the inmate's term of incarceration or detention by the State or a county. If the inmate is incarcerated or detained in a State correctional facility or State contracted half-way house, the cost or nominal fees charged under the provisions of this act shall be determined by the State Treasurer in accordance with guidelines promulgated by the commissioner. If the inmate is incarcerated or detained in a county jail, the amount due and payable and the nominal fees charged under the provisions of this act shall be determined by the county treasurer in accordance with guidelines promulgated by the county adjustor. L.1995,c.254,s.2.

N.J. Stat. § 30:7E-3 Reimbursements for medical care of inmates

3. a. Whenever the court shall determine, from its due consideration of the presentence report prepared in accordance with the provisions of N.J.S.2C:44-6 or any pretrial investigation or report, that a person to be sentenced to a term of imprisonment or ordered to detention in a State correctional facility or county jail is an enrollee or a covered person under a health insurance plan, it shall, as part of the disposition imposing the term of imprisonment or order providing for detention, so notify the commissioner or the chief administrative officer of the appropriate county jail. b. The State Treasurer or county treasurer shall file a claim with the health insurance plan for a reimbursement of the costs incurred by the State or the county, in providing any medical care, surgery, hospitalization or treatment to any inmate who is covered under a health insurance plan. The claim shall be filed in accordance with the rules and regulations promulgated pursuant to subsection f. of this section. The reimbursements authorized under this subsection shall be payable to the State Treasurer or the county treasurer and shall be used exclusively for the purpose of defraying the costs incurred by the State or the county in providing medical care, surgery, dental care, hospitalization or treatment to an inmate. c. Nothing in Title 30 of the Revised Statutes concerning the responsibility of the commissioner to provide for the care and custody of the inmates in a State correctional facility under the commissioner's control shall be construed to prohibit, restrict or otherwise hinder the State in seeking reimbursement in accordance with the provisions of this act from an inmate or a health insurance plan for any costs incurred by the State correctional facility in providing medical care, dental care, surgery, hospitalization or treatment to an inmate. d. Nothing in R.S.30:8-17 concerning a sheriff's responsibility to provide for the care and custody of the prisoners or detainees in a jail under his control shall be construed to prohibit, restrict or otherwise hinder the county in seeking reimbursement in accordance with the provisions of this act from an inmate or a health insurance plan for any costs incurred by the county jail in providing medical care, dental care, surgery, hospitalization or treatment to an inmate. e. Nothing in R.S.30:8-19 concerning the county governing body's responsibility to provide for the custody and care of the prisoners or detainees in a jail under its control shall be construed to prohibit, restrict or otherwise hinder the county in seeking reimbursement in accordance with the provisions of this act from an inmate or a health insurance plan for any costs incurred by the county jail in providing medical care, dental care, surgery, hospitalization or treatment to an inmate. f. The Commissioner of the Department of Insurance, in accordance with the provisions of the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), shall promulgate rules and regulations to effectuate the purposes of this section. Those rules and regulations shall include: (1) Procedures for the filing of the reimbursement claims permitted under this section; (2) Provisions specifying the primary coverage responsibilities of health insurance plans, subject to the provisions of this section; and (3) Such other matters as the Commissioner of the Department of Insurance may deem appropriate and necessary. g. Nothing in this act shall be construed to require or allow an inmate to obtain services from a doctor, dentist, surgeon or other health care practitioner or facility other than the services provided by a State correctional facility or county jail. L.1995,c.254,s.3.

N.J. Stat. § 30:7E-4 Lien for unpaid amounts

4. a. In the event an inmate is not covered under a health insurance plan, or if the inmate's insurance plan does not fully cover the costs of any medical care, dental care, surgery, hospitalization or treatment provided by the State or the county, the State or county may have a lien for any unpaid amounts due and payable under the provisions of section 2 of P.L.1995, c.254 (C.30:7E-2) on any and all property and income to which the person shall have or may acquire an interest. If an inmate fails to reimburse the State or county, for the cost of or any fee charged for the cost of any prescription or nonprescription drug or medicine, as provided pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1995, c.254 (C.30:7E-2) the State or county may also have a lien on any or all property or income which the inmate shall have or may acquire an interest. When properly filed as hereinafter provided, the lien shall have priority over all unrecorded encumbrances. b. The lien shall be in a form to be prescribed by the State Treasurer and shall contain the words "State of New Jersey" or the name of the county, the name of the inmate, the date of commitment or detention, the inmate's address on the date of commitment or detention, the inmate's date of birth and the amount due and payable for any medical care, dental care, surgery, hospitalization, treatment, or prescription or nonprescription drugs or medicines rendered therein on the date of the filing of the lien, together with notice of the rate of accumulation, if any, thereafter. The lien shall be signed by the State Treasurer or the county treasurer or his duly constituted agent. Nothing herein shall preclude the State or county from recovering for any medical care, surgery, hospitalization, treatment, or nonprescription drug or medicine furnished but not covered by any lien. c. As an additional remedy, the State Treasurer, county treasurer or commissioner may issue a certificate to the clerk of the Superior Court stating that the person identified in the certificate is indebted under the provisions of this act in such an amount as shall be stated in the certificate. The certificate shall reference the statute under which the indebtedness arises. Thereupon the clerk shall immediately enter upon the record of docketed judgments the name of such inmate as debtor; the State or county as creditor; the address of such inmate if shown in the certificate; the amount of the debt so certified; a reference to the statute under which the debt is assessed; and the date of making such entries. The docketing of the certificate shall have the same force and effect as a civil judgment docketed in the Superior Court and the State or county shall have all the remedies and may take all of the proceedings for the collection thereof which may be had or taken upon the recovery of a judgment in action, but without prejudice to any right to appeal. Upon entry by the clerk of the certificate in the record of docketed judgments in accordance with the provisions of this subsection, interest in the amount specified by court rule for post-judgment interest shall accrue from the date of the docketing of the certificate; provided, however, payment of the interest may be waived by the State Treasurer or county treasurer. In the event that the debt remains unpaid following the issuance of the certificate of debt and either the State Treasurer or county treasurer take any further collections action including referral of the matter to the Attorney General or his designee or in the case of a county, referral or the matter to the county adjustor or his designee, the fee imposed in lieu of the actual cost of collection, may be 20% of the debt or $200.00, whichever is greater. d. The clerk of the Superior Court shall provide suitable books in which shall be entered copies of the liens filed pursuant to this section. The entries shall be properly indexed in the name of the inmate. All liens and other papers incidental thereto required for the purposes of this section shall be received and recorded by the clerk of the Superior Court, without payment of fees. e. To discharge any lien or liens filed pursuant to this section, the State Treasurer or county treasurer or his duly constituted agent shall file with the clerk of the Superior Court, a duly acknowledged certificate setting forth the fact that the county desires to discharge the lien of record. The State Treasurer or county treasurer is authorized to compromise for settlement any lien filed under the provisions of this section for medical care, dental care, surgery, hospitalization or treatment rendered to an inmate. A memorandum of compromise and settlement signed by the State Treasurer or county treasurer shall be sufficient authorization for a complete discharge of the lien. f. Any person desiring to secure immediate discharge of any lien may deposit with the court cash in an amount sufficient to cover the amount of the lien, or post a bond in an amount and with sureties approved by the court. Upon proper notice to the State or county of such deposit or bond, a satisfaction of the lien shall be filed forthwith with the clerk of the Superior Court. g. Any person affected in any manner, whether directly or indirectly by any lien filed under the provisions of this section, and desiring to examine the validity of the lien or the facts and circumstances surrounding the entry of the lien, may do so in an action brought in the county where the lien was filed. The action shall be brought against the State or county institution claiming the lien, and the court may proceed in the action in a summary manner and enter such judgment as it may deem appropriate. L.1995,c.254,s.4.

N.J. Stat. § 30:7E-5 Inmates entitled to health care

5. Notwithstanding the provisions of sections 2, 3 and 4 this act, no inmate shall be denied medical care, surgery, dental care, hospitalization, treatment or prescription or nonprescription drugs or medicine because he is not covered under a health insurance plan or because that inmate is unable to reimburse the State or county for the costs of those services, drugs or medicines. L.1995,c.254,s.5.

N.J. Stat. § 30:7E-6 Rules, regulations

6. The commissioner, in accordance with the provisions of the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), shall promulgate rules and regulations to effectuate the purposes of this act. L.1995,c.254,s.6.

N.J. Stat. § 30:7E-7 Contracted health care providers to provide coverage regardless of gender identity, expression.

11. a. Notwithstanding the provisions of any other law or regulation to the contrary, any contract between a health care provider and the New Jersey Department of Corrections, the Youth Justice Commission, the State Parole Board, or any other State or local entity, which contract provides health care services to the State's inmate population, shall not contain any provision that discriminates, and the State or local entity contracting for services shall ensure there is no discrimination, on the basis of a person's gender identity or expression or on the basis that the person is a transgender person. b. The discrimination prohibited by this section shall include: (1) denying, cancelling, limiting or refusing to issue or renew a contract on the basis of a covered person's or prospective covered person's gender identity or expression, or for the reason that the covered person or prospective covered person is a transgender person; (2) demanding or requiring a payment or premium that is based in whole or in part on a covered person's or prospective covered person's gender identity or expression, or for the reason that the covered person or prospective covered person is a transgender person; (3) designating a covered person's or prospective covered person's gender identity or expression, or the fact that a covered person or prospective covered person is a transgender person, as a preexisting condition for which coverage will be denied or limited; or (4) denying or limiting coverage, or denying a claim, for services including but not limited to the following, due to a covered person's gender identity or expression or for the reason that the covered person is a transgender person: (a) health care services related to gender transition if coverage is available for those services under the contract when the services are not related to gender transition, including but not limited to hormone therapy, hysterectomy, mastectomy, and vocal training; or (b) health care services that are ordinarily or exclusively available to individuals of one sex when the denial or limitation is due only to the fact that the covered person is enrolled as belonging to the other sex or has undergone, or is in the process of undergoing, gender transition. c. For the purposes of this section: "Gender expression" means a person's gender-related appearance and behavior, whether or not stereotypically associated with the person's assigned sex at birth. "Gender identity" means a person's internal sense of their own gender, regardless of the sex the person was assigned at birth. "Gender transition" means the process of changing a person's outward appearance, including physical sex characteristics, to accord with the person's actual gender identity. "Transgender person" means a person who identifies as a gender different from the sex assigned to the person at birth. d. Nothing in this section shall preclude a State or local entity contracting for services pursuant to this section from performing utilization review, including periodic review of the medical necessity of a particular service. L.2017, c.176, s.11; amended 2025, c.35, s.52.

Source: Open US Law by Vaquill AI (CC BY 4.0)URL: https://www.njleg.state.nj.us/legislative-activity/statutesFetched: 10/17/2026