ASSEMBLY HEALTH AND SENIOR SERVICES COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

ASSEMBLY, No. 3542

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED: FEBRUARY 7, 2013

      The Assembly Health and Senior Services Committee reports favorably Assembly Bill No. 3542.

      This bill permits a greater degree of flexibility in scheduling private duty nursing services for individuals eligible to receive these services through Medicaid.

      Current regulations limit Medicaid reimbursement for private duty nursing services to a certain number of approved hours in a 24-hour period for each individual, to a maximum of 16 hours in a 24-hour period.  The bill permits an individual to schedule fewer than the approved number of hours in a 24-hour period, and instead schedule those hours on a later date.  This would allow an individual to exceed the number of approved hours in a 24-hour period, and exceed the 16-hour maximum, if the individual uses “banked” hours to cover the difference.  Unused service hours may be accumulated with no maximum, except that any unused service hours will expire at the end of each month.

      The bill takes effect on the first day of the seventh month following the date of enactment, but authorizes the Commissioner of Human Services to take prior administrative action as necessary for its implementation.