Bill Text: NJ S254 | 2020-2021 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Requires Commissioner of Human Services to apply for State plan amendment extending NJ FamilyCare eligibility to children of State employees eligible for State health benefits coverage.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2020-01-14 - Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee [S254 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2020-S254-Introduced.html
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
219th LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2020 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Senator TROY SINGLETON
District 7 (Burlington)
SYNOPSIS
Requires Commissioner of Human Services to apply for State plan amendment extending NJ FamilyCare eligibility to children of State employees eligible for State health benefits coverage.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.
An Act concerning the NJ FamilyCare Program and supplementing Chapter 4J of Title 30 of the Revised Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, the Commissioner of Human Services shall apply for a State plan amendment to secure federal financial participation for certain NJ FamilyCare expenditures under the State Children's Health Insurance Program pursuant to 42 U.S.C.s.1397aa et seq.. The State plan amendment shall allow the State to extend eligibility for the NJ FamilyCare program to include the children of State employees who are eligible for health benefits coverage under a State health benefits plan and who meet the eligibility requirements established pursuant to regulations adopted by the commissioner. This State plan amendement shall be implemented to the extent that it is in compliance with section 2110 (b) (5) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C.s.1397jj).
2. The Commissioner shall adopt rules and regulations, pursuant to the provisions of the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), to effectuate the purposes of this act.
3. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill requires the Commissioner of Human Services to apply for a State plan amendment to secure federal financial participation for certain NJ FamilyCare expenditures under the State Children's Health Insurance Program pursuant to 42 U.S.C.s.1397aa et seq.
Specifically, the State plan amendment would allow the State to extend eligibility for the NJ FamilyCare program to include the children of State employees who are eligible for health benefits coverage under a State health benefits plan and who meet the eligibility requirements established pursuant to regulations adopted by the commissioner. The State plan amendment would be implemented in compliance with section 2110 (b) (5) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C.s.1397jj).
Prior to the enactment of the federal "Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act," Pub.L.111-148, the Social Security Act excluded the children of State employees eligible for health benefits coverage under a State health benefits plan from eligibility for health care coverage under NJ FamilyCare, even if the employees' health benefits plan's out-of-pocket costs posed a financial hardship and their income levels met NJ FamilyCare eligibility requirements.
This bill would allow the State to extend eligibility for NJ FamilyCare to include the children of State employees who are eligible for health benefits coverage under a State health benefits plan but cannot afford comprehensive coverage options for their families.
