Bill > S1242

Introduced Session

This bill implements certain recommendations included in the 2019 New Jersey Reentry Services Commission Report entitled "Barriers, Best Practices, and Action Items for Improving Reentry Services." Specifically, this bill requires an inmate of a State prison or county correctional facility, at least 60 days prior to the release from the State prison or county correctional facility, to participate in a Medicaid enrollment session. During the session, county welfare agency staff or designated State prison or county correctional facility personnel, who have received training from the Department of Human Services regarding the screening and enrollment process for Medicaid, are to provide the inmate with assistance, either in person or via telephone, in completing a Medicaid application and to ensure that the inmate's application is submitted to the Department of Human Services or another Medicaid eligibility determination agency for processing. Under the bill, an inmate who opts out of a Medicaid enrollment session is required to indicate such a decision in writing, in a manner and format determined by the Commissioner of Corrections. Furthermore, a State prison or county correctional facility staff member is required to provide guidance to an inmate who opts out of a Medicaid enrollment session, both verbally and in a written format, of the health care benefits provided under Medicaid, as well as the process to apply for Medicaid, should the inmate decide to enroll following release from the State prison or county correctional facility.

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Teresa Ruiz (D)*,  Patrick Diegnan (D), 

Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Judiciary Committee (on 02/03/2020)