Bill Text: NJ S3038 | 2010-2011 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Restores eligibility of New Jersey Health ACCESS recipients for NJ FamilyCare effective August 1, 2011.
Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 8-1)
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2011-12-08 - Transferred to Assembly Budget Committee [S3038 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2010-S3038-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Senator JOSEPH F. VITALE
District 19 (Middlesex)
Senator FRED H. MADDEN, JR.
District 4 (Camden and Gloucester)
Co-Sponsored by:
Senator Buono
SYNOPSIS
Restores eligibility of New Jersey Health ACCESS recipients for NJ FamilyCare effective August 1, 2011.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
A Supplement to "An Act making appropriations for the support of the State Government and the several public purposes for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2012 and regulating the disbursement thereof," approved June 30, 2011 (P.L.2011, c.85).
Be It Enacted by the Senate and the General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. The following language on page 111 of P.L.2011, c.85 is amended to read as follows:
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54 DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES 20 Physical and Mental Health 24 Special Health Services 7540 Division of Medical Assistance and Health Services GRANTS-IN-AID |
Notwithstanding the provisions of any law or regulation to the contrary, the amounts hereinabove appropriated to NJ FamilyCare - Affordable and Accessible Health Coverage Benefits are subject to the following conditions:
(a) [as of August 1, 2011, or at such later date as shall be determined by the commissioner as needed to administratively effectuate these requirements, enrollment of parents who were enrolled in the New Jersey Health ACCESS program on October 31, 2001, and are currently enrolled in the NJ FamilyCare program, shall be terminated and there shall be no future enrollments of such persons in the NJ FamilyCare program] enrollment of parents who were enrolled in the New Jersey Health ACCESS program on October 31, 2001, and were enrolled in and eligible for the NJ FamilyCare program as a former Health ACCESS enrollee on July 31, 2011, shall be reinstated, and any health care expenses incurred by any such individual prior to the date of enactment of this act shall be covered as though the individual's coverage had not been terminated;
(b) [as of August 1, 2011, or at such later date as shall be determined by the commissioner as needed to administratively effectuate these requirements, enrollment of single adults or couples without dependent children who were enrolled in the New Jersey Health ACCESS program on October 31, 2001, and who are currently enrolled in the NJ FamilyCare program shall be terminated and there shall be no future enrollments of such persons in the NJ FamilyCare program] enrollment of single adults or couples without dependent children who were enrolled in the New Jersey Health ACCESS program on October 31, 2001, and were enrolled in and eligible for the NJ FamilyCare program as a former Health ACCESS enrollee on July 31, 2011, shall be reinstated, and any health care expenses incurred by any such individual prior to the date of enactment of this act shall be covered as though the individual's coverage had not been terminated;
(c) as of July 1, 2011, all parents or caretakers whose applications to enroll in the NJ FamilyCare program were received on or after March 1, 2010: (i) whose gross family income does not exceed 200% of the poverty level; (ii) who have no health insurance, as determined by the Commissioner of Human Services; and (iii) who are ineligible for Medicaid shall not be eligible for enrollment in the NJ FamilyCare program and there shall be no future enrollments of such persons in the NJ FamilyCare program; and
(d) as of July 1, 2011, any adult alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence, but who has lived in the United States for less than five full years after such lawful admittance and whose enrollment in the NJ FamilyCare program was terminated on or before July 1, 2010 shall not be eligible to be enrolled in the NJ FamilyCare program, provided, however, that this termination of enrollment and benefits shall not apply to such persons who are either (i) pregnant or (ii) under the age of 19.
2. This act shall take effect immediately and be retroactive to August 1, 2011.
STATEMENT
The FY 2012 annual appropriations act terminated enrollment in NJ FamilyCare for former Health ACCESS enrollees as of August 1, 2011, eliminating health coverage for a small group of adults who have had continuous State subsidized health care coverage since 2001.
This bill restores NJ FamilyCare eligibility to those individuals who have been eligible for the program since 2001 due to their prior enrollment in and continued eligibility for the Health ACCESS program. The bill also retroactively covers health expenses these individuals may have incurred after the termination of their coverage. It is anticipated that this coverage can be funded within the current appropriation for NJ Family Care - Affordable and Accessible Health Coverage Benefits.
