TRENTON – Governor Phil Murphy today signed S2968 into law, permitting certain health care professionals to waive health insurance copayments for members of the military on active-duty and their family members.

“The men and women of our military put everything on the line for our freedom and safety,” said Governor Phil Murphy. “Our active-duty service members come home and are faced with a deeply flawed VA health care system. Allowing primary care physicians and advanced practice nurses to waive copays for our service members and their families is a no-brainer.”

S2968 allows for primary care physicians or advanced practice nurses to have the ability to waive an active-duty service member's or a family member’s copayment that would have otherwise been collected.

“This legislation will certainly have a positive impact on our deployed personnel,” said Brigadier General Jemal Beale, the Adjutant General of the New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans Affairs. “When things back home are in order, servicemen and women are able to focus on their missions. Every additional benefit goes in the ‘win’ column for New Jersey and its military personnel.”

The legislation was sponsored by Senators Troy Singleton and Kristin Corrado and Assemblymembers Wayne DeAngelo, Raj Mukherji, and Joe Danielsen.

“The members of our military sacrifice so much in their lives to ensure that we are safe here at home,” said Senator Singleton.  “Waiving health insurance copayments for those currently serving active duty is a simple courtesy and a thank you that reflects our appreciation for the service they provide our nation.”

“On Military Spouse Appreciation Day, it is only fitting that this bipartisan legislation to help our active-duty service members and their families better afford their medical bills is signed into law,” said Senator Corrado. “We owe it to these brave men and women to provide the best medical care possible, at a reasonable cost. Waiving health insurance copayments is a small gesture to thank our active-duty personnel for their service to our country.”

“Any steps that we can take to ease financial burdens for our military service members and their families are steps we need to take,” said Assemblyman DeAngelo. “Our men and women in uniform have made countless sacrifices to serve and protect our country, such as precious time away from their loved ones when deployed, missing family milestones, and risking injury and death.”

“While service members and their families do receive comprehensive health care coverage, there are instances when copays can pose a hardship when their budgets may already be stretched thin,” said Assemblyman Mukherji. “This bill intends to provide common-sense relief and ensure that finances do not present an obstacle to receiving appropriate, timely health care.”

“This new law is very important because it allows medical professionals who welcome military families to waive the cost of their copay, which would in turn expands access to care for service members and their families and lessens complications due to delayed access to health care,” said Assemblyman Danielsen. “We owe it to our service members and their families to do everything we can to help them after they’ve sacrificed so much for us.”