Office of Legislative Services
State House Annex
P.O. Box 068
Trenton, New Jersey 08625
Legislative Budget and Finance Office
Phone (609) 847-3105
Fax (609) 777-2442
www.njleg.state.nj.us
LEGISLATIVE FISCAL ESTIMATE
ASSEMBLY, No. 3700
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
221st LEGISLATURE
DATED: MARCH 20, 2025
SUMMARY
Synopsis: Establishes pilot program to provide Medicaid coverage of remote
maternal health services for eligible beneficiaries.
Types of Impact: Annual increase in State expenditures and revenues.
Agencies Affected: Department of Human Services.
Office of Legislative Services Estimate
Fiscal Impact Annual
State Expenditure Increase Indeterminate
State Revenue Increase Indeterminate
The Office of Legislative Services (OLS) concludes that annual State costs will increase by an
indeterminate amount to establish a voluntary, three-year pilot program to provide remote
maternal health services to certain pregnant Medicaid beneficiaries. Because the OLS cannot
anticipate the number of pregnant Medicaid beneficiaries who may participate in the pilot
program, the specific remote services that will be covered, and the Medicaid reimbursement
rates that will be paid for these remote services, the OLS lacks the informational basis to
determine the amount by which annual Medicaid costs will increase under the bill.
Any increase in State Medicaid costs under the bill will also increase State revenues by an
indeterminate amount, in the form of federal Medicaid cost reimbursements for State
expenditures under the federal Medicaid program.
BILL DESCRIPTION
The bill establishes a voluntary, three-year pilot program to provide certain pregnant Medicaid
beneficiaries with remote maternal health services, upon referral by the beneficiaries’ health care
provider.
Based on clinical evidence and the recommendations of experts in obstetrics and maternal-
fetal medicine, the Department of Human Services will determine the remote services to be FE to A3700
2
provided through the pilot program. The program will provide remote patient monitoring, remote
non-stress tests, and tele-ultrasound services for pregnant Medicaid beneficiaries.
State-licensed physicians, certified nurse midwives, professional midwives, or midwives may
refer a pregnant Medicaid beneficiary to the pilot program if the health care provider determines
that remote maternal health services are in the beneficiary’s best interests, or that the beneficiary
has an increased likelihood of a high-risk pregnancy due to pre-existing medical conditions, age,
lifestyle factors, or a diagnosed pregnancy-related condition.
Remote maternal health services also will be available to a pregnant Medicaid beneficiary
whose pregnancy is not high-risk, but who resides in a community that lacks a sufficient number
of obstetric care providers who participate in the Medicaid program, or who is unable to access
consistent obstetric care due to socioeconomic factors, such as a lack of reliable transportation or
child care.
The establishment of the remote maternal health services pilot program will be contingent upon
federal approval of the State’s Medicaid waiver application or State plan amendment, in order to
ensure federal reimbursement for State Medicaid expenditures under the federal Medicaid
program.
FISCAL ANALYSIS
EXECUTIVE BRANCH
None received.
OFFICE OF LEGISLATIVE SERVICES
The OLS concludes that annual State costs will increase by an indeterminate amount to
establish a voluntary, three-year pilot program to provide remote maternal health services to
certain pregnant Medicaid beneficiaries. Because the OLS cannot anticipate the number of
pregnant Medicaid beneficiaries who may participate in the pilot program, the specific remote
services that will be covered, and the Medicaid reimbursement rates that will be paid for these
remote services, the OLS lacks the informational basis to determine the amount by which annual
Medicaid costs will increase under the bill.
Any increase in State Medicaid costs to implement the program will also increase State
revenues by an indeterminate amount, in the form of federal Medicaid cost reimbursements for
State expenditures under the federal Medicaid program.
According to the New Jersey State Health Assessment Data system, 30.1 percent of all births
in 2022, the most recent year for which data are available, were to women who were covered under
the State Medicaid program.
Section: Human Services
Analyst: Anne Cappabianca
Senior Fiscal Analyst
Approved: Thomas Koenig
Legislative Budget and Finance Officer
This legislative fiscal estimate has been produced by the Office of Legislative Services due to the
failure of the Executive Branch to respond to our request for a fiscal note.
This fiscal estimate has been prepared pursuant to P.L.1980, c.67 (C.52:13B-6 et seq.).