Bill > A898

Introduced Session

This bill requires the Cannabis Regulatory Commission (CRC) to establish a program to subsidize up to 20 percent of the purchase price of medical cannabis and medical cannabis products dispensed to or on behalf registered qualifying patients who are currently enrolled in the State Medicaid program or the NJ FamilyCare program. The subsidy will reduce the purchase price of the medical cannabis or medical cannabis product as listed on the medical cannabis dispensary's or clinical registrant's website, and will be applied after any other discounts or price reductions are applied. The price reduction will apply at the point of purchase. The program developed by the CRC will include a mechanism for medical cannabis dispensaries and clinical registrants to quickly verify whether a registered qualifying patient to whom or on behalf of whom medical cannabis or a medical cannabis product is being dispensed is currently enrolled in Medicaid or NJ FamilyCare. The CRC will be required to coordinate with the Division of Medical Assistance and Health Services in the Department of Human Services to develop this enrollment verification system. Medical cannabis dispensaries and clinical registrants are to make patients and their caregivers aware of the subsidy program through posted signage, and may provide additional notice of the program verbally, using written materials, or both, but are not to apply a subsidy or attempt to verify whether a patient is enrolled in Medicaid or NJ FamilyCare except at the request of a patient or the patient's designated or institutional caregiver. The CRC will additionally be required to establish a process for medical cannabis dispensaries to apply for and receive reimbursement from the CRC for the amount of any subsidies applied to the purchase price of medical cannabis and medical cannabis products under the bill. Reimbursements for the subsidies will be paid out of funds available through the "Cannabis Regulatory, Enforcement Assistance, and Marketplace Modernization Fund" established pursuant to P.L.2021, c.16 (C.24:6I-31 et al.), or other funds made available to the CRC for this purpose.

AI Summary

Committee Categories

Joe Danielsen (D)*,  Verlina Reynolds-Jackson (D)*, 

Introduced, Referred to Assembly Health Committee (on 01/09/2024)

Official Document