Garden State Times

Senator Carmen Amato, Jr., Assemblyman Brian Rumpf, and Assemblyman Greg Myhre have put forward legislation aimed at preventing health insurance carriers from imposing time limits on anesthesia coverage. The bills, S-4056 and A-5216, seek to ensure that patients are not left without coverage for anesthesia services before, during, or after medical or surgical procedures.

The legislators were prompted to act following reports of an insurance policy in other states that refused to cover anesthesia if a procedure exceeded a specified duration. Although this policy was later reversed and not implemented, it raised concerns among constituents in the 9th District.

In a joint statement, Amato, Rumpf, and Myhre expressed their apprehension about the potential impact of such policies: “News of an insurance policy limiting coverage of anesthesia services in other states caused serious concern among our constituents, many of whom are senior citizens, including some who were scheduled to have surgical procedures that would entail the use of anesthesia."

They further criticized the approach as "an appalling policy," arguing that "insurance companies should be focused on providing access to health care, not looking to cut corners on patients’ medical procedures."

Although they are unaware of any New Jersey carriers considering similar restrictions, the legislators emphasized their proactive stance: “While to our knowledge this policy is not being considered by any carriers providing services in New Jersey, we weren’t taking any chances. So we moved quickly to introduce legislation.”

The goal is to prevent patients from incurring significant medical expenses due to denied anesthesia coverage. The lawmakers hope legislative leaders will prioritize establishing legal protections for patients needing these services: “Hopefully, the legislature’s leadership will take up this issue to establish legal safeguards protecting the rights of patients who require anesthesia services in their medical procedures.”

Bill S-4056 has been assigned to the Senate Commerce Committee for review. Its counterpart in the Assembly, A-5216—where Assemblyman Myhre serves—has been referred to the Assembly Financial Institutions and Insurance Committee. Meanwhile, Assemblyman Rumpf continues his role on the Assembly Health Committee.