Relates to rent registration statements to be filed for vacant units

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Chris Burdick and 5 co-sponsors

Extends Medicaid change-notification deadline from 14 to 20 days and requires DHS to pursue state plan waivers to secure federal participation.

REFERRED TO HOUSING

Summary of Assembly Bill A-1876 (Medicaid reporting)

Note: The bill text provided appears under a title about rent registration for vacant units, but the introduced version text and statements describe changes to Medicaid reporting requirements. This summary reflects the Medicaid provisions contained in the introduced version of A-1876.

Overview

Purpose: To modify the reporting deadline for Medicaid-eligible individuals to notify the county welfare agency of changes in circumstance that could affect Medicaid eligibility, and to authorize the Commissioner of Human Services to pursue necessary state plan amendments or waivers to implement the change and secure federal participation.

Core change: Extend the reporting deadline from two weeks to 20 days after a change in circumstance.

Key Provisions

1) Notification Requirement
- A person eligible for Medicaid under N.J.S.A. P.L.1968, c.413 (C.30:4D-1 et seq.) must notify the county welfare agency providing Medicaid benefits about a change in circumstance that may affect eligibility within 20 days of the change.
2) Implementation and Federal Participation
- The Commissioner of Human Services must apply for any state plan amendments or waivers necessary to implement the bill and to secure federal financial participation for State Medicaid expenditures under the federal Medicaid program.
3) Effective Date
- The act would take effect immediately upon enactment.

Affected Parties

Medicaid beneficiaries in New Jersey under the state plan (C.30:4D-1 et seq.).

County welfare agencies that administer Medicaid benefits.

New Jersey Department of Human Services (DHS), particularly the Division or office administering Medicaid.

Federal-state Medicaid financing arrangements (through state plan amendments or waivers).

Relationship to Existing Law

Current reporting requirement (N.J.A.C.10:49-11.110:69-5.12) requires a beneficiary to report changes within two weeks of the change.

A-1876 would extend that window from 14 days to 20 days.

The bill also creates a procedural obligation on the DHS Commissioner to seek state plan amendments or waivers to implement the expanded reporting window and to secure federal funding participation.

Procedural and Timeline Aspects

Introduced: January 9, 2024.

Legislative history: Referred to Assembly Health Committee on introduction; subsequently listed as referred to Housing (as of January 14, 2025).

Related bill: A-5692 (prior-session) is noted as related.

Sponsors: Primary sponsor Linda Rosenthal; additional sponsors Monique Chandler-Waterman, Chris Burdick, William Colton, Rebecca Seawright, Harvey Epstein.

Potential Impact

Beneficiary reporting: More time (20 days vs. 14 days) to report changes could affect how promptly beneficiaries communicate changes to eligibility.

Administrative processes: Requires DHS to modify state plan provisions or seek waivers, plus coordinate with federal Medicaid participation requirements.

Fiscal: Depending on implementation, may influence administrative workloads and state-federal funding dynamics.

Note on Title vs. Content

The bill’s title references “rent registration statements to be filed for vacant units,” but the introduced content and accompanying statements describe Medicaid eligibility reporting changes. The Medicaid provisions are the substantive focus of A-1876 as introduced.