Bill > A3564

Introduced Session

This bill requires the Division of Medical Assistance and Health Services (DMAHS) in the Department of Human Services (DHS) to establish a program under which a family member of an enrollee in Medicare, Medicaid, or NJ FamilyCare, or a third-party individual approved by the enrollee or the enrollee's guardian, may be certified as a certified homemaker-home health aide (CHHA) and, under the direction of a registered professional nurse, provide CHHA services to the enrollee through a home care services agency, which services will be subject to an enhanced reimbursement rate. The program established under the bill will apply to enrollees who are 65 years of age or older and qualify for CHHA services under Medicaid or NJ FamilyCare. The DMAHS will be required to develop an assessment tool that will allow the DMAHS to readily identify enrollees who meet these eligibility criteria. Under the program, the family member or approved third-party individual will be required to complete all the training, testing, and other qualification criteria as are required under State and federal law for certification as a CHHA. The home care services agency that will employ the family member or approved third-party individual will be required to pay all costs for the family member or approved third-party individual to become certified as a CHHA. In no case will the family member or approved third-party individual be required to repay or reimburse the agency for the costs of becoming a CHHA. The tasks delegated by a registered professional nurse to a family member or approved third-party individual who becomes certified as a CHHA under the bill are to be consistent with the tasks that may be generally delegated to CHHAs pursuant to the rules of the New Jersey Board of Nursing. CHHA services provided by a family member of a Medicare, Medicaid, or NJ FamilyCare enrollee or an approved third-party individual under the bill will be reimbursed at a rate of no less than $30 per hour. The DMAHS will be required to establish the program within six months after the effective date of the bill. The DHS will be required to apply for State plan amendments and waivers as are necessary to implement the provisions of the bill and to secure federal financial participation for State Medicaid expenditures under the federal Medicaid program.

Committee Categories

Reginald Atkins (D)*,  Verlina Reynolds-Jackson (D)*,  Shanique Speight (D)*, 

Assembly Aging and Human Services Hearing (13:00:00 12/12/2024 Committee Room 15, 4th Floor, State House Annex, Trenton, NJ) (on 12/12/2024)

Official Document