ASSEMBLY, No. 657
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
220th LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2022 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman ANTHONY S. VERRELLI
District 15 (Hunterdon and Mercer)
Co-Sponsored by:
Assemblywomen Jasey and Reynolds-Jackson
SYNOPSIS
Requires DOC to ensure inmates have opportunity to participate in Medicaid
pre-enrollment and enrollment sessions at least 60 days prior to release;
requires applicable inmates to receive Medicaid card at release.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As reported by the Assembly Human Services Committee with technical
review.
A657 VERRELLI
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AN ACT concerning Medicaid enrollment procedures for inmates 1
prior to release, and supplementing Title 30 of the Revised 2
Statutes. 3
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BE IT ENACTED by the Senate and General Assembly of the State 5
of New Jersey: 6
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1. a. The Commissioner of Corrections, in collaboration with 8
the Commissioner of Human Services, the county welfare agencies, 9
and the county administrators of the county correctional facilities, 10
shall ensure that an inmate of a State prison or county correctional 11
facility has the opportunity to participate in: 12
(1) a peer-led Medicaid pre-enrollment session at least 60 days 13
prior to release from the State prison or county correctional facility. 14
The session shall include, at a minimum, information regarding the 15
benefits of Medicaid, the Medicaid application process, and 16
pertinent differences between the managed care plans available 17
under the program; and 18
(2) an enrollment session no more than five calendar days 19
following the peer-led Medicaid pre-enrollment session required 20
under paragraph (1) of this subsection. During the session, county 21
welfare agency staff or designated State prison or county 22
correctional facility personnel, who have received training from the 23
Department of Human Services regarding the screening and 24
enrollment process for Medicaid, shall provide the inmate with 25
assistance, either in person or via telephone, in completing a 26
Medicaid application. 27
b. The Commissioner of Corrections, in collaboration with the 28
Commissioner of Human Services, the county welfare agencies, and 29
the county administrators of the county correctional facilities, shall 30
establish a process by which the Department of Human Services or 31
another Medicaid eligibility determination agency notifies an 32
inmate, who completes a Medicaid application during a Medicaid 33
enrollment session, of the inmate’s eligibility determination prior to 34
release from the State prison or county correctional facility and, if 35
applicable, provides the inmate with a Medicaid identification card 36
at the time of release from the State prison or county correctional 37
facility. 38
c. Nothing in this section shall be construed to alter the 39
eligibility standards for medical assistance under the Medicaid 40
program. 41
d. As used in this section, “Medicaid” means the program 42
established pursuant to P.L.1968, c.413 (C.30:4D-1 et seq.). 43
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2. This act shall take effect 60 days following the date of 45
enactment. 46