A2250

An Act concerning the State’s Medicaid program and supplementing Title 30 of the Revised Statutes.

Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

1. a. There is established in, but not of, the Department of Human Services a commission to examine the impact of projected federal Medicaid cuts on Medicaid services in the State. The purpose of the commission shall be to:

(1) monitor federal and Statewide trends relating to Medicaid;

(2) analyze the impact of federal policy changes, including, but not limited to, projected federal Medicaid cuts on Medicaid services in the State; and

(3) recommend legislative or other actions to address such federal policy changes.

b. The commission shall consist of nine members as follows:

(1) the Director of the Division Medical Assistance and Health Services, or a designee, who shall serve ex-officio;

(2) four legislative members, two of whom shall be members of the Senate, one appointed by the President of the Senate and one appointed by the Minority Leader of the Senate, and two of whom shall be members of the General Assembly, one appointed by the Speaker of the General Assembly and one appointed by the Minority Leader of the General Assembly; and

(3) four public members, no more than two of whom shall be of the same political party, appointed by the Governor, upon the recommendation of the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the General Assembly, respectively.

c. Legislative members of the commission shall serve during their terms of office. Public members of the commission shall serve for a term of five years, except that of the initial appointments, one public member shall serve for three years, two public members shall serve for four years, and one public members shall serve for five years. Vacancies in the membership of the commission shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointments were made. Members are eligible for reappointment to the commission.

d. The commission shall organize as soon as practicable after the appointment of a majority of its members, and shall select a chairperson and a vice-chairperson from among its members, as well as a secretary who need not be a member of the commission. A majority of the membership of commission shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of commission business. The commission may meet and hold hearings at the place or places as it shall designate.

e. Members of commission shall serve without compensation, but may be reimbursed for necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties as members of the commission within the limits of funds appropriated or otherwise made available to the commission for its purposes.

f. The Department of Human Services shall provide such stenographic, clerical, and other administrative assistants, and such professional staff as the commission requires to carry out its work.

g. The commission shall be entitled to call to its assistance and avail itself of the services of the employees of any State, county, or municipal department, board, bureau, commission, or agency as it may require and as may be available for its purposes.

2. a. Within 12 months after the commission's organizational meeting, and annually thereafter, the commission shall submit a written report to the Governor, and, pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), to the Legislature. Each report submitted pursuant to this subsection shall contain:

(1) the commission’s analysis concerning the impact of federal policy changes, including, but not limited to, projected federal Medicaid cuts on Medicaid services in the State; and

(2) any recommendations for legislative or other actions that may be necessary to address such federal policy changes.

b. The reports submitted to the Governor and the Legislature pursuant to subsection a. of this section shall be made available to the public on the Department of Human Services’ website.

3. This act shall take effect immediately.

STATEMENT

This bill established a nine member commission in, but not of, the Department of Human Services to examine the impact of projected federal Medicaid cuts on Medicaid services in the State. The commission is to: (1) monitor federal and Statewide trends relating to Medicaid; (2) analyze the impact of federal policy changes on Medicaid services in the State; and (3) recommend legislative or other actions to address such federal policy changes.

The membership of the commission is to consist of: the Director of the Division Medical Assistance and Health Services, or a designee, who is to serve ex-officio; four legislative members appointed by the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the General Assembly, and the Minority Leaders of the Senate and the General Assembly, respectively; and four public members appointed by the Governor.

Within 12 months after the commission’s organizational meeting, and annually thereafter, the commission is to submit a written report to the Governor and the Legislature containing: (1) the commission’s analysis concerning the impact of federal policy changes, including, but not limited to, projected federal Medicaid cuts on Medicaid services in the State; and (2) any recommendations for legislative or other actions that may be necessary to address such federal policy changes. The reports are to be made available to the public on the department’s website.