New Jersey would check mental health care access for covered youth

The state insurance department would regularly check access to mental health care, including through people posing as patients. The checks cover people age 18 or younger with covered health plans, across different groups, ages, and parts of the state. The checks must examine whether provider networks have enough providers and whether appointments are available. The checks would be required starting on the first day of the fourth month after enactment.

Carriers would send yearly data; the state would review it and publish its findings. The data covers mental health care for covered people age 18 or younger. Carriers include administrators contracted for state or school employee health plans. Carriers must report care use, denials and appeals, decision speed, and approvals for specialized care. The state must look for barriers to needed care and post its report online. The first state report would be due within one year after the law takes effect, then yearly. The law would take effect on the first day of the fourth month after enactment.

Health plan carriers would maintain and post provider lists. This covers carriers authorized to offer New Jersey health plans and administrators contracted for state or school employee health plans. The lists must be accurate, checked regularly, easy to read, and available as downloadable data. The requirement would start on the first day of the fourth month after enactment.