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On December 14, 2020, Governor Murphy (D-NJ) signed truth in advertising legislation into law (SB 2465), establishing the “New Jersey Health Care Transparency Act.” The law, which will become effective July 1, 2021, protects patients from being misled by requiring health care professionals to wear a tag disclosing the type of professional license and professional degree they hold when providing in-person care. The law provides in part that any advertisement shall not contain deceptive or misleading information, including communications that misstate or falsely describe the health care professional's skills, training, expertise, license or education.
Additionally, the law requires physicians who supervise or participate in collaborative practice agreements with non-physicians, including advance practice nurses, who provide in-person patient care at the same practice location, to clearly post when a physician is present. The New Jersey State Society of Anesthesiologists (NJSSA) endorsed and co-led advocacy efforts on this bill with other stakeholders.
With the increasing complexities of health care-related services, patients are growing more and more confused about the differences between various types of health care professionals. Truth in advertising laws provide patients with increased clarity about the experience and credentials of the professionals treating them, thereby allowing patients to make more informed decisions about their health care.
ASA applauds the New Jersey Legislature and Gov. Murphy for recognizing the importance of this issue. If you are interested in learning more about truth in advertising in your state, please contact Erin Mahrt, JD, State Affairs Manager, at [email protected].
