N.J. Admin. Code § 10A:16-1.5

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 21, November 4, 2024

Section 10A:16-1.5 - Medical co-payment

(a) Pursuant to 30:7E-1 et seq., inmates shall be liable for the cost of, and charged a nominal co-payment as determined by the State Treasurer for health care to include surgery, dental care, hospitalization or treatment; and medication to include prescription or nonprescription drugs, medicine or dietary supplements. The medical co-payment shall be $ 5.00 and the medication co-payment shall be $ 1.00. If fees for inmate co-payment change in accordance with 30:7E-1 et seq., these changes shall be published as a notice of administrative change in the New Jersey Register.

(b) No inmate shall be denied medical services, surgery, dental services, hospitalization, medication or treatment due to an inmate's inability to pay the co-payment fee.

(c) Payment for health services and medication shall be deducted from the inmate's account in accordance with N.J.A.C. 10A:2-2.2(d)8.

(d) The following services are excluded from the co-payment requirement:

1. Initial assessments during the reception and classification process, classification physicals and transfer evaluations and discharge physical examinations;

2. Prescribed laboratory work to include inmate requests for HIV testing;

3. Prescribed x-rays;

4. Immunizations and other treatments mandated for public health reasons such as, but not limited to, tuberculosis (TB) testing and hepatitis B vaccine;

5. Psychiatric, psychological, substance abuse and social work treatment including medication prescribed by the psychiatrist for mental health purposes;

6. Treatment that is prescribed over the course of several days or weeks, such as, electrocardiograms, dressing changes, and other ongoing treatments ordered by health care staff;

7. Health care visits initiated by health care staff to comply with internal management procedures;

8. Follow-up visits scheduled by the health care provider;

9. Written referrals from one provider to another;

10. Dental referrals made by health care staff;

11. Infirmary care;

12. Emergency care requiring transport via an emergency response unit to a hospital; and

13. Medication provided immediately during a medical visit.

(e) All medications shall be ordered by qualified health care professionals in the largest quantities and longest durations that are medically appropriate and in accordance with all applicable laws and pharmaceutical regulations. The inmate is charged for a prescription when a health care professional writes an initial order and is then required to rewrite the medication order; therefore, for maintenance medications, prescriptions shall be written for as long a period of time as is medically acceptable.

(f) New and amended regulations regarding medical co-payment shall be posted in each housing area, other appropriate areas of the correctional facility and incorporated into the next revision of the correctional facility Inmate Handbook.

N.J. Admin. Code § 10A:16-1.5

Amended by 49 N.J.R. 2800(a), effective 8/21/2017