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As of today, August 11th, 2025, a bill we’ve fought hard for over the past few years has passed into law. Providers and individuals who put profits before our recovery will now face real consequences in New Jersey, providing a way forward without body brokering or deceptive marketing practices in the substance use treatment industry. Thank you so much to everyone who stood up and spoke out to make this happen!
Body brokering, also called patient brokering, is a type of health care fraud committed by detox and rehabilitation centers looking to turn a quick profit. People who run these centers offer a variety of financial incentives to treatment professionals (like recovery coaches and sober living house owners) to refer them clients struggling with a substance abuse disorder – often across state lines. People looking for help are often referred through a revolving door of short, ineffective inpatient stays while bad actors rake in profits.
The law that was just passed isn’t like our state’s old body brokering law – the one which failed to hold any bad actors accountable. Instead, it’s modeled after a federal law that’s been doing a way better job at prosecuting providers who’re caught body brokering.
Now we finally have a state law effectively taking on body brokering and deceptive marketing practices in the treatment industry! But… what does that mean for us?
First, this new law expands who the law can define as a culprit when it comes to body brokering. Now, whether it’s a recovery center, health care provider, nonprofit, clinical laboratory, or even an individual who engages in these fraudulent practices, they can be held accountable for putting profits before people.
Second, it requires providers to provide accurate information as to the scope of their services, their location, and their names. This way, they can’t use deceptive marketing tactics to trick people into paying them for services they don’t actually offer, or from providers who they aren’t actually affiliated with.
Third, anyone caught body brokering or using these deceptive tactics will be hit with a hefty fine and a loss of their license to provide treatment or care. This is crucial: facilities or individuals who put our recovery in danger just to line their own pockets can now be investigated and shut down for doing so.
If you want to dive in deeper, down below is Lisa’s updated explainer on the new law. She notes that “as with any piece of legislation, it is only as good as its implementation” – so in the months to come, we’ll continue to share updates with you on how we’re seeing this roll out. Make sure you opens in a new windowsign up for our email list so we know to keep you in the loop!