New Jersey-2012-SCR132-Introduced

A Concurrent Resolution urging the Governor to support the expansion of the New Jersey Medicaid program as provided for under the federal "Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act."

Whereas, The federal "Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act" (ACA), Pub.L.111-148, enacted into law on March 23, 2010, and amended by the federal "Health Care and Education Affordability Reconciliation Act of 2010," Pub.L.111-152, enacted into law on March 30, 2010, provides states with the opportunity, effective January 1, 2014, to increase their Medicaid income eligibility limit to 133 percent of the federal poverty level for all non-elderly adult citizens and lawful residents, or 138 percent of the federal poverty level when allowing for the five percent income disregard in determining Medicaid eligibility for non-elderly persons established by the ACA; and

Whereas, The ACA provides an enhanced federal match for those states that participate in the Medicaid expansion, under which the federal match for State funds expended on newly eligible persons under the Medicaid expansion will be 100 percent from 2014 through 2016 and phase down to 95 percent in 2017, 94 percent in 2018, 93 percent in 2019, and 90 percent in 2020 and subsequent years; and

Whereas, According to an August 2011 report by the Rutgers Center for State Health Policy, if New Jersey were to increase its Medicaid income eligibility limit to 133 percent of the federal poverty level, Medicaid would expand from covering 13.6 percent to 16.7 percent of the non-elderly population in the State, and this would increase the Medicaid-eligible population in New Jersey by approximately 234,000 persons, of whom some 132,000 would be non-parent adults and some 102,000 would be children under 19 years of age; and

Whereas, A study published in The New England Journal of Medicine in July, 2012 concluded that state Medicaid expansions to cover low-income adults were significantly associated with reduced mortality, improved coverage, access to care, and self-reported health; and

Whereas, This study found a 6.1 percent reduction in mortality among low-income adults between 20 and 64 years of age in three states that substantially expanded adult Medicaid eligibility since 2000 (Maine, New York, and Arizona), compared with similar adults in four neighboring states that did not do so (New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Nevada, and New Mexico), with the decline in mortality especially pronounced among older individuals, minorities, and residents of the poorest counties; and

Whereas, An increase in the Medicaid income eligibility limit in New Jersey to the maximum level permitted under the ACA would enable this State to qualify for the enhanced federal match provided for under the ACA Medicaid expansion; and

Whereas, New Jersey's participation in the ACA Medicaid expansion would provide this State with the opportunity to reduce the amount of uncompensated care provided by hospitals for uninsured patients and thereby lessen the amount expended by the State on charity care subsidy payments to hospitals; and

Whereas, New Jersey's participation in the ACA Medicaid expansion would ensure that this State receives the federal Medicaid funds to which it is entitled under the ACA, so that its citizens, as federal income taxpayers, would not be simply paying to meet the Medicaid expansion costs incurred by the federal government in other states; and

Whereas, New Jersey's participation in the ACA Medicaid expansion would ensure that health care coverage is provided for New Jersey citizens with the lowest incomes who are newly eligible for coverage under the ACA, at the same time as coverage is being provided under the ACA for New Jersey citizens with higher incomes, from 133 percent to 400 percent of the federal poverty level, who qualify for federal subsidies to purchase coverage through a health insurance exchange; now, therefore,

Be It Resolved by the Senate of the State of New Jersey (the General Assembly concurring):

1. This Legislature urges the Governor to support the expansion of the New Jersey Medicaid program as provided for under the federal "Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act," Pub.L.111-148, as amended by the "Health Care and Education Affordability Reconciliation Act of 2010," Pub.L.111-152.

2. Duly authenticated copies of this resolution, signed by the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the General Assembly and attested by the Secretary of the Senate and the Clerk of the General Assembly, shall be transmitted to the Governor.

STATEMENT

This concurrent resolution urges the Governor to support the expansion of the New Jersey Medicaid program as provided for under the federal "Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act," Pub.L.111-148, as amended by the "Health Care and Education Affordability Reconciliation Act of 2010," Pub.L.111-152.