New Jersey Statutes Title 17. Corporations and Institutions for Finance and Insurance 17 § 48E-33

a. A health service corporation issuing a group or individual contract in accordance with this act, which provides payment for surgical services rendered to a person while confined in a hospital as an inpatient, shall make available benefits for a second surgical opinion for elective surgical procedures which would require an inpatient admission to a hospital. In the case of a group contract, benefits for a second surgical opinion shall be available only if requested by the group policyholder.

b. A second surgical opinion program shall provide for payment for the second surgical opinion of an eligible physician and for essential laboratory and x-ray services incidental thereto.

c. If a second surgical opinion does not confirm that the proposed elective surgical procedure is medically advisable, the program shall cover a third surgical opinion in the same manner as the second opinion.

d. A second surgical opinion program may exclude benefits (1) while a patient is confined in a hospital as an inpatient for any surgical procedure not covered by the group or individual contract, and (2) for surgical procedures in the following categories: cosmetic surgery, pregnancy-related surgery, dental surgery, podiatric surgery, and sterilization.

e. If a physician who furnishes a second or third surgical opinion also performs the surgical procedure, the second surgical opinion program need not provide payment for the second or third opinion services.