This bill amends New Jersey's Medicaid estate recovery program by limiting the authority of the Division of Medical Assistance and Health Services (DMAHS) to impose liens and seek recovery from the estates of deceased Medicaid recipients. Specifically, it restricts recovery to the federal minimum requirements, which include costs associated with nursing facility services, home and community-based services, and hospital and prescription drug services provided concurrently with those services, applicable to recipients aged 55 and older. The bill aims to allow Medicaid recipients to preserve certain assets and savings for their heirs while complying with federal regulations established by the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993.

Additionally, the bill revises the definition of "estate" to align with the assets included in a Medicaid recipient's estate as defined in N.J.S.3B:1-1. This change limits recovery to real and personal property and other assets that pass through probate, thereby excluding certain properties that previously could be targeted for recovery, such as life insurance, pension benefits, and jointly owned accounts. The bill seeks to ensure that the estate recovery process is more equitable for Medicaid recipients and their heirs while still adhering to federal guidelines.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 30:4D-7.2