ASSEMBLY RESOLUTION No. 49

 

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

 

INTRODUCED FEBRUARY 5, 1996

 

 

By Assemblymen STEELE and PASCRELL

 

 

An Assembly Resolution urging the Governor and the Commissioner of Human Services to rescind the new Medicaid nursing home rate reduction.

 

Whereas, The Department of Human Services implemented a $36 million reduction in Medicaid nursing home reimbursement rates effective April 1, 1995, which would reduce State expenditures by $18 million in the State budget for Fiscal Year 1996; and

Whereas, This reduction in Medicaid rates, which was adopted in the New Jersey Register on March 20, 1995, affects 315 nursing homes Statewide which care for approximately 31,000 Medicaid patients; and

Whereas, Nursing home operators already contend that Medicaid rates do not cover the full cost of caring for Medicaid patients and providing for adequate management and maintenance of their facilities; and

Whereas, The reduction in Medicaid rates will adversely affect the quality of nursing home care provided to Medicaid and private pay patients, and will especially impact those facilities which are occupied almost exclusively by Medicaid patients and cannot therefore cost shift to private pay patients; and

Whereas, Nursing home operators and advocates have contended that they were afforded an inadequate opportunity to discuss this rate reduction with officials of the Division of Medical Assistance and Health Services, which administers the Medicaid program, before the reduction was announced; and

Whereas, The State has a clear and urgent obligation to protect the interests of nursing home residents, and to ensure that the State budget is not balanced on the backs of those who are among the most frail and vulnerable residents of this State, whose well-being is potentially at risk due to the Medicaid rate reduction; now, therefore,

 

    Be It Resolved by the General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

 

    1. The Governor and the Commissioner of Human Services are respectfully urged to rescind the Medicaid nursing home rate reduction which became effective on April 1, 1995.

 

    2. A duly authenticated copy of this resolution, signed by the Speaker of the General Assembly and attested by the Clerk of the General Assembly, shall be forwarded to the Governor and the Commissioner of Human Services.

 

 

STATEMENT

 

    This resolution urges the Governor and the Commissioner of Human Services to rescind the Medicaid nursing home rate reduction which became effective on April 1, 1995.

 

 

 

Urges Governor and Commissioner of Human Services to rescind Medicaid nursing home rate reduction.