Healthcare (Long-Term Care) in New Jersey

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

A 926: Requires Medicaid coverage for assisted living services for individuals with serious mental illnesses.

This bill would require New Jersey Medicaid to cover assisted living services for individuals with serious mental illnesses. It amends the Medicaid statute to explicitly add these services as a covered benefit, expanding current coverage that primarily includes intermediate care facilities. This change would directly affect Medicaid beneficiaries with serious mental illnesses who currently lack access to Medicaid-funded assisted living care. The bill does not specify funding details but would expand the range of services Medicaid must provide under state law.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

Sub-Topics Long-Term Care Medicaid Mental Health

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

A 3116: Establishes nurse aide workforce development program.

This bill establishes a New Jersey nurse aide workforce development program to support individuals seeking certification. It requires the Department of Health to provide clear information on certification benefits, requirements, and cost-free competency evaluations for nurse aides employed by or offered jobs at long-term care facilities. The program also details employer reimbursement rules: facilities must cover training costs for new hires within 12 months, and employers cannot charge for training if an aide leaves voluntarily or involuntarily. A separate one-year pilot reimburses up to 25% of training costs for completed courses. All resources will be posted on a dedicated Department of Health website.

Topics ✓ Healthcare ✓ Labor & Employment

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

in committee · New Jersey · Senate May 18, 2026

S 3631: Establishes Allied Health Care Professional Loan Redemption Program.

This bill establishes a program to help New Jersey allied health professionals reduce student loan debt. It covers licensed workers like nurses, therapists, phlebotomists, and medical technicians (excluding physicians) who agree to work full-time in New Jersey for four years. Participants receive partial loan forgiveness for each year of service, covering both principal and interest on qualifying education loans for their healthcare training. To qualify, applicants must be NJ residents, hold the required license, and commit to working at a licensed healthcare facility or in-home care.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

Sub-Topics Long-Term Care

in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Jun 23, 2026

A 2207: The "Certified Medication Aide in Nursing Homes Staffing Support Act;" authorizes certified medication aides to administer medications to nursing home residents.

This bill authorizes certified medication aides to administer medications to residents in New Jersey nursing homes, expanding their current scope of practice. It directly affects nursing homes struggling with staffing shortages and certified medication aides who would now be permitted to perform this role in nursing home settings (currently allowed in 38 states and other care facilities like assisted living residences). The key mechanism is amending existing law to explicitly include nursing homes under the certification framework for medication aides, addressing legislative findings that staffing challenges are severe in nursing homes post-pandemic. This change aims to alleviate staffing pressures by allowing medication aides to support resident care needs within existing certification standards.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

Sub-Topics Healthcare Workforce Long-Term Care Medical Licensing

in committee · New Jersey · Senate Feb 5, 2026

S 3376: Requires biennial inspection of nursing homes and assisted living facilities.

This bill (S 3376) requires New Jersey nursing homes and assisted living facilities to undergo inspections every two years. Within 180 days of the law taking effect, the Department of Health must establish uniform care and safety standards for these facilities. The Department will conduct these biennial inspections and post all inspection reports online for public access, ensuring facilities operate according to the new standards.

Topics ✓ Healthcare ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Long-Term Care

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

A 1752: Provides certain protections to residents of long-term care facilities.

This bill prohibits long-term care facilities (like nursing homes and assisted living residences) from having staff manage residents' financial affairs or serve as their legal representatives. It bans facility owners, administrators, or employees from acting as guardians or attorneys-in-fact for residents and invalidates any such agreements they attempt to create. The bill also requires facilities to use standardized admission forms developed by the Department of Health (available in multiple languages), prohibits forcing residents to sign arbitration agreements at admission, and ensures residents can sue for violations. These changes directly protect residents and their families by preventing conflicts of interest and ensuring clear, fair admission processes.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

Sub-Topics Long-Term Care

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

A 4337: Requires each nursing home to employ patient advocate.

This bill requires all New Jersey nursing homes to hire a full-time or part-time patient advocate who is a health care professional or social worker with prior nursing home experience. The advocate must represent residents' interests upon request, negotiate with the facility on their behalf, and notify the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman if a nursing home violates resident rights. It directly affects licensed nursing homes (excluding hospitals, assisted living facilities, or state-run institutions) across New Jersey. The law takes effect immediately upon passage, with health and human services commissioners tasked to create implementing rules.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

Sub-Topics Long-Term Care

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

A 1043: Requires owners of certain buildings to test drinking water for Legionella bacteria.

This bill requires owners of specific buildings - including hospitals, nursing homes, assisted living facilities, public housing, and correctional facilities - to test drinking water annually for Legionella bacteria. Owners must use Department of Environmental Protection (DEP)-approved methods and labs, report results to the DEP, and notify residents if levels exceed DEP-set standards. If contamination is found, owners must begin remediation within 30 days and complete it within six months, followed by retesting to confirm safety. The law aims to prevent Legionnaires' disease outbreaks by ensuring regular water safety checks in high-risk facilities.

Topics ✓ Healthcare ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Long-Term Care

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

A 2566: Requires prior approval from Commissioner of DOBI for rate filings for long-term care insurance issued on group basis.

This bill requires insurers to obtain prior approval from the Commissioner of Banking and Insurance for rates on group-based long-term care insurance policies, expanding an existing requirement that previously applied only to individual policies. It directly affects insurance companies selling group long-term care plans in New Jersey. The key change mandates that all group rate filings must demonstrate compliance with state loss ratio standards and that rates are not excessive, inadequate, or unfairly discriminatory - aligning group policies with the same regulatory review as individual policies.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

Sub-Topics Long-Term Care

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

A 3066: Requires DHS to review, and implement certain improvements to, Medicaid Managed Long-Term Services and Supports Program and to establish public-facing report card of managed care organization's coordination of program.

This bill requires New Jersey's Medicaid program to review and improve its Managed Long-Term Services and Supports (MLTSS) Program, which coordinates long-term care for Medicaid members. It directs the state to assess quality oversight, barriers to moving members from nursing homes to community settings, and successful payment models nationwide. The state must then mandate managed care organizations (MCOs) to reduce caseloads for nursing home residents, conduct more frequent face-to-face visits, annually review member preferences for community transitions, and create transition teams for complex moves. Additionally, the state must create public report cards on its website showing MCO performance metrics, enrollment data, disenrollment rates, member feedback, and quality ratings to help Medicaid members choose providers. The report cards must be updated annually, and the state must submit a progress report to the legislature within 18 months.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

Sub-Topics Long-Term Care Medicaid

All healthcare bills