Bill Text: NJ S1532 | 2012-2013 | Regular Session | Introduced


Bill Title: Supplemental appropriation of $11.7 million in State funds and $21.7 million in federal funds to DHS to restore eligibility to parents in NJ FamilyCare.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2012-02-09 - Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee [S1532 Detail]

Download: New_Jersey-2012-S1532-Introduced.html

SENATE, No. 1532

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

215th LEGISLATURE

 

INTRODUCED FEBRUARY 9, 2012

 


 

Sponsored by:

Senator  JOSEPH F. VITALE

District 19 (Middlesex)

 

 

 

 

SYNOPSIS

     Supplemental appropriation of $11.7 million in State funds and $21.7 million in federal funds to DHS to restore eligibility to parents in NJ FamilyCare.

 

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.    In addition to the amounts appropriated under P.L.2011, c.85, there is appropriated out of the General Fund the following sum for the purpose specified:

 

54 DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES

20 Physical and Mental Health

24 Special Health Services

GRANTS-IN-AID

22-7540 General Medical Services....................................................

$11,700,000

Grants-in-Aid:

 

 

22    NJ FamilyCare - Affordable and Accessible

        Health Coverage Benefits....................

($11,700,000)

 

 

     2.    Upon certification by the Director of the Division of Budget and Accounting in the Department of the Treasury that federal funds to support the expenditures listed below are available, the following sum is appropriated:

 

54 DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES

20 Physical and Mental Health

24 Special Health Services

22-7540 General Medical Services....................................................

$21,700,000

State Aid and Grants:

 

 

22    NJ FamilyCare II - Affordable and         Accessible Health Coverage.................

($21,700,000)

 

 

     3.    The following language on page 111 of P.L.2011, c.85 is amended to read as follows:

 

54 DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES

20 Physical and Mental Health

24 Special 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)  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)  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)] and 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] have their eligibility for enrollment in the NJ FamilyCare program restricted on the basis of their eligibility for Medicaid; [and]

(d)  [as of July 1, 2011,] any adult alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence [, but] (i) who has lived in the United States for less than five full years after such lawful admittance [and] ; (ii) whose enrollment in the NJ FamilyCare program was terminated on or after April 1, 2010 [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.] ; (iii) who was continuously enrolled in the NJ FamilyCare program prior to termination on or after April 1, 2010; and (iv) whose gross family income remains at or below 200% of the federal poverty level, shall be reenrolled in the program and shall not be treated as a new applicant.  Adult aliens lawfully admitted for permanent residence shall not have their eligibility restricted on the basis of the amount of time that the parent or caretaker has lived in the United States since admittance; and

(e)  a parent or caretaker (i) whose gross family income is within the income eligibility limits of the NJ FamilyCare program; (ii) who was continuously enrolled in the NJ FamilyCare Program prior to March 1, 2010; (iii) whose gross family income remains at or below 200% of the federal poverty level; and (iv) who was disenrolled from the program after March 1, 2010 because of modifications made by the department in the calculation of gross family income, shall be reenrolled in the program and shall not be treated as a new applicant.  The Department of Human Services shall not establish any limits on the amount of unearned income a parent or caretaker may receive in order to be eligible for enrollment in the NJ FamilyCare program, and shall treat all sources of income, both earned and unearned, in the same manner.

 

     3.    This act shall take effect immediately.

 

 

STATEMENT

 

     This supplemental appropriation of $11.7 million in State funds to the Department of Human Services will restore eligibility for enrollment in the NJ FamilyCare program to adults with income between 134% and 200% of the federal poverty level.  These State funds will generate approximately $21.7 million in federal funds on behalf of adults with incomes between 134% and 200% of the federal poverty level.  The FY2011 and FY2012 appropriations acts froze enrollment of adults at 133% of the federal poverty level as of March 2010, and made other changes affecting adults currently enrolled in the program. 

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