Bill Text: NJ A1245 | 2014-2015 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Increases income eligibility limits for PAAD program and Senior Gold Prescription Discount Program.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2014-01-16 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Health and Senior Services Committee [A1245 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2014-A1245-Introduced.html
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
216th LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2014 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman VINCENT PRIETO
District 32 (Bergen and Hudson)
SYNOPSIS
Increases income eligibility limits for PAAD program and Senior Gold Prescription Discount Program.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel
An Act concerning eligibility for the Pharmaceutical Assistance to the Aged and Disabled program and amending P.L.1975, c.194.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. Section 2 of P.L.1975, c.194 (C.30:4D-21) is amended to read as follows:
2. a. Any resident of this State who is either a recipient of disability insurance benefits under Title II of the federal Social Security Act (42U.S.C. s.401 et seq.) or 65 years of age and over and whose annual income is less than [$16,624] $27,000 if single or, if married, whose annual income combined with that of [his] the person's spouse is less than [$20,383] $35,000, shall be eligible for "Pharmaceutical Assistance to the Aged and Disabled" if [he] the person is not otherwise qualified for assistance under P.L.1968, c.413 (C.30:4D-1 et seq.). Annual income shall not include gain from the sale of a principal residence that is excluded from gross income pursuant to [N.J.S.54A:6-9] N.J.S.54A:6-9.1.
b. Beginning January 1, 1996 and annually thereafter, the income eligibility limits provided in subsection a. of this section shall increase by the amount of the maximum Social Security benefit cost-of-living increase for that year for single and married persons, respectively. The commissioner shall adopt the new income limits annually by regulation pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.).
(cf: P.L.1995, c.27, s.1)
2. This act shall take effect on January 1, 2013, but the commissioner may take such anticipatory administrative action in advance as shall be necessary for the implementation of the act.
STATEMENT
This bill increases the income
eligibility limits established in the Pharmaceutical Assistance to the Aged and
Disabled (PAAD) program to $27,000 for single persons and $35,000 combined
income for married couples. Under the Senior Gold Prescription Discount
Program income eligibility limits are $10,000 higher than PAAD income
eligibility limits. Therefore, this bill will increase income eligibility
limits under the Senior Gold Prescription
Discount program to $37,000 for single persons and $45,000 combined income for
married couples.
Currently the PAAD income limits for 2012 are $25,312 for single persons and $31,035 combined income for married couples. Although the PAAD law states that income eligibility limits are $16,624 and $20,383 for single persons and married couples, respectively, an annual cost-of-living increase in income eligibility limits was adopted effective January 1, 1996, which has increased these eligibility levels each year. This bill retains the annual cost-of-living increase, but raises the overall income eligibility levels for the program, effective January 1, 2013.
