SENATE HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE

 

STATEMENT TO

 

SENATE, No. 80

 

with committee amendments

 

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

 

DATED: FEBRUARY 15, 1996

 

      The Senate Human Services Committee favorably reports Senate Bill No. 80 with committee amendments.

      As amended by the committee, this bill repeals P.L.1950, c.303 (C.44:8-146 et seq.), which requires municipalities within counties of the first class to pay inpatient hospitalization costs for General Assistance recipients. Additionally, municipalities in other counties would no longer have the option to voluntarily pay for these hospitalization costs. However, the bill will continue to permit payments for inpatient hospitalization costs for General Assistance recipients who are admitted to a special hospital licensed by the Department of Health which is not eligible to receive a subsidy from the Health Care Subsidy Fund, and to which payments were made prior to July 1, 1991 on behalf of patients receiving GA benefits.

      The provisions of this bill are in accordance with Fiscal Years 1992 through 1996 appropriations acts, which do not fund hospitalization costs for General Assistance recipients.

      In Fiscal Year 1991, approximately 300 GA recipients received hospitalization benefits, per month, for a gross State/municipal cost of $34.6 million (the State paid 75% and the participating municipality paid 25% of the cost). Municipalities in Essex, Bergen and Hudson counties were required to participate, but municipalities such as Camden and Atlantic City also paid for hospitalization of their GA recipients.

      The committee amended the bill by making it effective July 1, 1996 and removing language that made it retroactive to July 1, 1991.

      This bill was pre-filed for introduction in the 1996-97 session pending technical review. As reported, the bill includes the changes required by technical review which was been performed.