ASSEMBLY, No. 760

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel

PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 1996 SESSION

By Assemblywoman BUONO and Assemblyman ROMANO

An Act allowing recipients of the "Pharmaceutical Assistance to the Elderly and Disabled" program to designate third parties to receive certain notices and supplementing P.L.1975, c.94 (C.30:4D-20 et seq.).

    Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

    1. The Commissioner of Human Services shall permit recipients of the "Pharmaceutical Assistance to the Aged and Disabled" program, established pursuant to P.L.1975, c.94 (C.30:4D-20 et seq.) to designate a third party to whom the commissioner shall transmit renewal and cancellation notices.

    The recipient shall notify the program that a third party has been so designated. The notification shall be delivered to the program by certified mail, return receipt requested, and shall be effective not later than 10 business days from the date of receipt by the program. The notification shall contain, in writing, an acceptance by the third party designee to receive renewal and cancellation notices from the program. If the third party designee desires to terminate the status as a third party designee, the designee shall provide written notice to both the program and the recipient. If the recipient desires to terminate the third party designation, the recipient shall provide written notice to the program.

    The transmission to the third party designee of any notice of renewal or cancellation shall be in addition to a copy of the document transmitted to the recipient and all notices transmitted to the third party shall be mailed in an envelope clearly marked on its face with the following: "IMPORTANT PAAD INFORMATION: OPEN IMMEDIATELY". The renewal or cancellation notice transmitted to the third party shall be governed by the same law and policy provisions which govern the notice being transmitted to the recipient. Designation as a third party shall not constitute acceptance of any liability by the third party for services provided to the recipient.

    The commissioner shall notify program recipients annually, in writing, of the availability of the third party designee notice procedures and provide information on how the recipient can commence this procedure; except that notice need not be provided once a recipient has made a designation.

    2. This act shall take effect on the 120th day following enactment.

STATEMENT

    This bill allows recipients of the "Pharmaceutical Assistance to the Aged and Disabled" (PAAD) program to designate a third party to whom the program must transmit renewal and cancellation notices. The envelope of the notice to a third party designee must be clearly marked to read: "IMPORTANT PAAD INFORMATION: OPEN IMMEDIATELY."

    A third party designee may terminate the designation by written notice to both the program and the recipient. The recipient may terminate the third party designation by written notice to the program.

    The Commissioner of Human Services must notify recipients of the PAAD program annually, in writing, of the availability of the third party notices. A third party designee is not liable for services provided to the recipient.

Allows PAAD recipients to designate third parties to receive renewal and cancellation notices.