Bill Text: NJ A5748 | 2022-2023 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Amends definition of "participating county" under County Option Hospital Fee Program.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 5-0)
Status: (Passed) 2024-01-16 - Approved P.L.2023, c.337. [A5748 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2022-A5748-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman WILLIAM W. SPEARMAN
District 5 (Camden and Gloucester)
Assemblyman WILLIAM F. MOEN, JR.
District 5 (Camden and Gloucester)
Assemblyman PAUL D. MORIARTY
District 4 (Camden and Gloucester)
Co-Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman Mosquera
SYNOPSIS
Amends definition of "participating county" under County Option Hospital Fee Program.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning the County Option Hospital Fee Program and amending P.L.2018, c.136.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. Section 2 of P.L.2018, c.136 (C.30:4D-7s) is amended to read as follows:
2. As used in this act:
"Commissioner" means the Commissioner of Human Services.
"Department" means the Department of Human Services.
"Fee" means the local healthcare-related fee authorized pursuant to this act.
"Hospital" means a hospital that is licensed pursuant to P.L.1971, c.136 (C.26:2H-1 et seq.) and is located within the borders of a participating county.
"Medicaid program" means the "New Jersey Medical Assistance and Health Services Program" established pursuant to P.L.1968, c.413 (C.30:4D-1 et seq.).
"Participating county" means, notwithstanding the provisions of any other law or regulation to the contrary, a county that chooses to participate in the program, has a population greater than 250,000, according to the federal decennial census immediately preceding the effective date of P.L.2018, c.136 (C.30:4D-7r et seq.), and contains a municipality which: (1) is classified, pursuant to N.J.S.40A:6-4, as a First or Second Class municipality, or a Fourth Class municipality whose population exceeds 20,000, and (2) has a Municipal Revitalization Index Distress score, as last calculated by the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs prior to the effective date of P.L.2018, c.136 (C.30:4D-7r et seq.), that exceeds 60; or, based on the 2019 ACS 5 Year Survey Data, a county that chooses to participate in the program and contains a municipality with a population greater than 30,000 whose 2020 Municipal Revitalization Index Distress score is greater than or equal to [35] 33 (1) excluding counties with a municipality with a population greater than 125,000, (2) excluding counties with a population less than 150,000, and (3) excluding counties with a median household income greater than $110,000.
"Program" means "The County Option Hospital Fee Program" established pursuant to this act.
"Proposed fee and expenditure report" means a written report by a participating county that describes how the fee will be imposed in the participating county; how the funds collected from the fee will be used by the participating county, including the amount and services the participating county plans to provide with the funds; and how the plan satisfies paragraph (1) of subsection b. of section 3 of this act.
(cf: P.L.2022, c.61, s.2)
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill amends the definition of "participating county" under the County Option Hospital Fee Program. Under the bill, while maintaining all other provisions of the definition, the required 2020 Municipal Revitalization Index Distress score of a municipality with a population greater than 30,000 and located within a "participating county" is decreased from 35 to 33. The Municipal Revitalization Distress score serves as the State's official measure and ranking of municipal distress across social, economic, physical, and fiscal conditions. In altering this requirement, the bill provides for Gloucester County to qualify as a "participating county."
The County Option Hospital Fee Program was established in November 2018 to support local hospitals in designated high-need areas to ensure continued access to critical healthcare services for vulnerable populations. To effectuate this goal, the program authorizes participating counties, and hospitals within those counties, to partner with the State through a provider assessment mechanism that enhances financial support through the Medicaid program. The current participating counties are: Atlantic, Bergen, Burlington, Camden, Cumberland, Essex, Hudson, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Ocean, and Passaic.
