The bill amends Section 3 of P.L.1968, c.413 (C.30:4D-3) to increase the resource thresholds for certain Medicaid eligibility groups in New Jersey. It establishes new resource standards for medically needy individuals, setting limits at $40,000 for one-person households and $60,000 for two-person households, with an additional $20,000 for each additional person in households of three or more. The previous resource standards, which were based on 200% of the Supplemental Security Income resource standard, have been deleted from the law. The bill also clarifies that individuals whose income exceeds the established limits may still qualify as medically needy by incurring medical expenses that reduce their income to the applicable level.

Furthermore, the bill targets non-Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI) Medicaid eligibility groups, particularly for applicants over 65 years of age or those who are disabled, while ensuring that these changes do not affect the NJ Workability Program, which has no resource limits for eligibility. It also aligns resource standards for the Qualified Medicare Beneficiary Program, the Specified Low-Income Medicare Beneficiary Program, and the Qualifying Individual Program with the new thresholds. The Commissioner of Human Services is responsible for applying for necessary state plan amendments or waivers to implement these changes and secure federal funding for Medicaid expenditures, ultimately aiming to streamline resource requirements for Medicaid eligibility.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 30:4D-3