ASSEMBLY HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE
STATEMENT TO
ASSEMBLY, No. 657
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
DATED: NOVEMBER 30, 2023
The Assembly Human Services Committee reports favorably
Assembly Bill No. 657.
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, the bill directs the Commissioner of Corrections, in
collaboration with the Commissioner of Human Services, the county
welfare agencies, and the county administrators of the county
correctional facilities, to ensure that an inmate of a State prison or
county correctional facility has the opportunity to participate in:
(1) a peer-led Medicaid pre-enrollment session at least 60 days
prior to the inmate’s release from the State prison or county
correctional facility. The session is required to include, at a minimum,
information regarding the benefits of Medicaid, the Medicaid
application process, and pertinent differences between the managed
care plans available under the program; and
(2) an enrollment session no more than five calendar days
following the peer-led Medicaid pre-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 required to provide the inmate
with assistance, either in person or via telephone, in completing a
Medicaid application.
The Commissioner of Corrections, in collaboration with the
Commissioner of Human Services, the county welfare agencies, and
the county administrators of the county correctional facilities, is also
required to establish a process by which the Department of Human
Services or another Medicaid eligibility determination agency notifies
an inmate, who completes a Medicaid application during a Medicaid
enrollment session, of the inmate’s eligibility determination prior to
release from the State prison or county correctional facility and, if
applicable, provides the inmate with a Medicaid identification card at
the time of release from the State prison or county correctional facility.
Although federal Medicaid law, particularly 42 U.S.C. s.1396d(a),
prohibits coverage to inmates (except as patients in a medical 2
institution), the federal law does not prevent the enrollment of those
individuals who are otherwise qualified for coverage, which can
thereafter take effect upon the individual’s release from incarceration.
This bill was pre-filed for introduction in the 2022-2023 session
pending technical review. As reported, the bill includes the changes
required by technical review, which has been performed.