Healthcare (Medicaid)

in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Feb 19, 2026

A 2202: Establishes pilot program to provide Medicaid coverage of remote maternal health services for eligible beneficiaries.

This bill (A 2202) establishes a three-year pilot program in New Jersey to provide Medicaid coverage for remote maternal health services to eligible pregnant Medicaid beneficiaries. It would cover specific remote services including remote monitoring of health data (like blood pressure or glucose levels), remote non-stress tests, and tele-ultrasound, all delivered securely via digital technology. Eligibility includes beneficiaries with high-risk pregnancy factors (such as pre-existing conditions, age, or lifestyle factors) or those facing access barriers like lack of local providers, transportation, or childcare, but participation requires a provider referral and remains voluntary. The program depends on federal reimbursement and must comply with HIPAA and FDA regulations for data security and device approval.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExpands Medicaid coverage for remote maternal health services, improving access to care for high-risk pregnancies through telehealth and monitoring tools.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Medicaid Telehealth Women's Health

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in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Jan 13, 2026

A 2309: Establishes long-term services and supports workforce engagement and sustainability program in DOH.

This bill establishes a program within New Jersey's Department of Health to address shortages in the long-term care workforce. It requires the department to implement specific strategies - including reviewing Medicaid payment policies, creating standardized training, offering tuition support, streamlining certification, and developing career advancement paths - to increase the supply of direct care workers in nursing homes and community settings. The program also mandates an annual report to the Governor and Legislature on progress and needed changes. These provisions directly affect long-term care workers, their employers, and future workers entering the field through new educational pathways.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill establishes DOH program to address long-term care workforce shortages via training, tuition support, and Medicaid policy review, directly strengthening healthcare service delivery and access.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill mandates tuition support, career advancement, and standardized training to increase direct care workforce supply, directly advancing employment standards and worker opportunities in long-term care.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Healthcare Workforce Long-Term Care Medicaid Professional Licensing

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in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Jan 13, 2026

A 894: Establishes annual cost of living adjustment, based on Consumer Price Index, to base Medicaid per diem rates for assisted living programs; makes appropriation.

This bill requires New Jersey's Medicaid program to automatically increase daily reimbursement rates for assisted living facilities, comprehensive personal care homes, and assisted living programs each July 1. The increase must match the previous year's rise in the Consumer Price Index (CPI), as reported by the U.S. Department of Labor. These rate adjustments directly affect facilities receiving Medicaid payments for resident care, ensuring their reimbursement keeps pace with inflation. The bill also mandates funding from the state General Fund and requires state officials to seek federal approval for the changes.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesMandates annual Medicaid reimbursement increases tied to CPI, ensuring stable funding for essential healthcare services through automatic appropriation.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareAdjusts Medicaid reimbursement rates to match inflation, ensuring stable funding for assisted living facilities and maintaining service quality for beneficiaries.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Appropriations State Budget Long-Term Care Medicaid

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in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Jan 13, 2026

A 2215: Increases resource threshold limit for certain Medicaid eligibility groups.

This bill increases the asset limits (resource thresholds) for New Jersey Medicaid eligibility under the "medically needy" program. It raises the maximum allowable assets from current levels to $40,000 for single-person households, $60,000 for two-person households, and an additional $20,000 per extra person in larger households. These changes directly affect individuals who qualify as "medically needy" - including pregnant women, children under 21, seniors 65+, and people who are blind or disabled - by allowing them to retain more assets while still qualifying for Medicaid coverage. The policy adjustment aligns New Jersey’s resource standards with federal guidelines for medically needy eligibility.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareIncreases Medicaid asset thresholds, expanding eligibility for vulnerable groups including seniors, children, and pregnant women.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Medicaid

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in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Jan 13, 2026

A 2208: Increases cap on personal care assistant services from 40 hours to 91 hours per week for Medicaid beneficiary determined clinically eligible for nursing facility level of care.

This bill increases the weekly cap for Medicaid-covered personal care assistant (PCA) services from 40 to 91 hours for beneficiaries clinically eligible for nursing facility-level care. It directly affects vulnerable Medicaid recipients who rely on PCA services - such as help with daily living tasks (e.g., bathing, dressing) under a nurse’s supervision - to remain safely in their homes or communities. The key provision removes the previous hour limit, requiring the Department of Human Services to update its assessment tool and secure federal approval for rate adjustments to cover the expanded hours. This change ensures medically necessary PCA services align with individual care plans without case-by-case exceptions.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill increases Medicaid PCA funding cap from 40 to 91 hours, requiring higher state spending on essential public services for vulnerable beneficiaries.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareIncreases Medicaid PCA service cap from 40 to 91 hours/week, expanding coverage and access to home-based care for vulnerable beneficiaries, directly strengthening healthcare access.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Healthcare Workforce Medicaid

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in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Jan 13, 2026

A 1788: Requires DHS to establish two-year Regional Community Behavioral Health Pilot Program.

This bill establishes a two-year pilot program to improve coordination of behavioral health services in New Jersey. It requires the Department of Human Services to identify eligible patients with severe behavioral health disorders using Medicaid data, then contract with community providers to deliver coordinated care. Key mechanisms include mandatory needs assessments, "rapid referrals" for timely access to services, "warm hand-offs" between providers, and hiring service navigators to help patients access treatment. The program directly affects patients with severe mental health or substance use disorders who are identified through Medicaid claims. The pilot will operate across three regions of the state, with managed care organizations administering the program.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill creates behavioral health pilot program with coordinated care, Medicaid data use, rapid referrals, and service navigators to improve access and coordination for severe disorders, directly supporting mental health services.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Medicaid Mental Health

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in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Jan 13, 2026

A 2544: Requires Medicaid coverage for motorized wheelchairs for nursing facility residents under certain circumstances.

This bill (A 2544) requires New Jersey's Medicaid and NJ FamilyCare programs to cover motorized wheelchairs for residents in nursing facilities under specific conditions. It directly affects Medicaid enrollees living in nursing facilities who need a motorized wheelchair, as long as their doctor prescribes it and their managed care organization approves it beforehand. The bill mandates that residents keep the wheelchair for as long as they need it, returning it to the state when no longer required. Nursing facilities must notify managed care organizations in writing when equipment is no longer in use. This policy change ensures consistent access to mobility equipment for eligible nursing home residents without adding new administrative burdens beyond existing prescription and authorization processes.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates Medicaid coverage for motorized wheelchairs in nursing facilities, expanding access to essential mobility devices under medical prescription, directly strengthening coverage for vulnerable residents.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Long-Term Care Medicaid

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in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Jan 13, 2026

A 2157: Supplemental appropriation of $3.6 million to DHS to increase adult medical day care Medicaid per diem rate from $89.55 to $93.10.

This bill appropriates $3.6 million to increase Medicaid reimbursement rates for adult medical day care providers in New Jersey. It raises the per diem rate from $89.55 to $93.10 per patient per day, directly affecting community-based medical day care centers that serve vulnerable adults with physical or cognitive impairments. The funding is conditional on providers receiving this updated rate, stabilizing their finances after pandemic-related income losses. This change ensures providers can continue offering essential in-community care without closing, as mandated by the bill's amendment to the 2024 appropriations act.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAppropriates $3.6M to increase Medicaid reimbursement rates for essential community healthcare services, directly funding public health programs.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareIncreases Medicaid reimbursement rates for medical day care providers, directly funding healthcare services and stabilizing provider finances after pandemic losses.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Appropriations Medicaid

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in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Jan 13, 2026

A 2428: Establishes "Comprehensive Geriatric Fall Prevention Pilot Program" in DHS; appropriates $11.7 million.

This bill establishes a three-year "Comprehensive Geriatric Fall Prevention Pilot Program" within New Jersey's Department of Human Services, targeting at least 6,000 Medicaid recipients aged 60 or older (with a control group of 6,000) to reduce falls. It provides proven prevention services including individualized risk assessments, counseling, and rehabilitative care - tailored for high-risk seniors and Medicare-Medicaid dual eligibles - with funding from an $11.7 million appropriation. The program requires a review of Medicaid reimbursement policies and a cost-effectiveness evaluation within three years, aiming to lower healthcare costs by preventing falls, building on successful models from states like Pennsylvania and Florida.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAppropriates $11.7M for a new geriatric fall prevention program, directly funding a public service initiative under state budget priorities.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareAppropriates $11.7M for geriatric fall prevention services (risk assessments, rehab) targeting Medicaid seniors, directly funding healthcare access and public health program for high-risk seniors.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Appropriations Medicaid Medicare

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in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Jan 13, 2026

A 1689: Establishes MOM Project oral health three-year pilot program in DOH; appropriates $4,150,000.

This bill establishes a three-year oral health pilot program called the MOM Project in New Jersey's Department of Health, appropriating $4.15 million. It directly affects low-income pregnant women and new mothers (under 300% of the federal poverty level) who are not enrolled in Medicaid and reside in medically underserved areas. The program requires maternal health consortia to provide eligible mothers with three hours of culturally tailored oral health education (covering hygiene, nutrition, and disease links), followed by a year of dental treatment including cleanings, risk assessments, and restorative care at participating community health centers. The initiative aims to improve access to oral care for this at-risk group, addressing barriers like cost, lack of insurance, and language needs.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareAppropriates $4.15M for oral health pilot targeting low-income mothers in underserved areas, expanding public health access and services.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Medicaid Women's Health

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