Establishes minimum Medicaid and NJ FamilyCare pediatric special care nursing facility reimbursement rates.

S3978

SENATE, No. 3978

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

�

INTRODUCED MARCH 19, 2026

Sponsored by:

Senator� JOSEPH A. LAGANA

District 38 (Bergen)

SYNOPSIS

���� Establishes minimum Medicaid and NJ FamilyCare
pediatric special care nursing facility reimbursement rates.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

���� As introduced.

��

An Act
concerning Medicaid and NJ FamilyCare reimbursement
rates for certain long-term care facilities, supplementing Title 30 of the
Revised Statutes, and making an appropriation.

����
Be It
Enacted
by the Senate and General Assembly of
the State of New Jersey:

���� 1.��� a.� The Division of
Medical Assistance and Health Services within the Department of Human Services
shall reimburse a pediatric skilled care nursing facility that participates in
the New Jersey Medicaid program, established pursuant to P.L.1968, c.413 (C.30:4D-1
et seq.), or the New Jersey FamilyCare Program, established pursuant to
P.L.2005, c.156 (C.30:4J-8 et al.), at a base reimbursement rate of no less
than $950.00 per day.

���� b.��� A pediatric skilled care
nursing facility shall only be eligible to receive the minimum Medicaid and NJ
FamilyCare reimbursement rate, established pursuant to this section, if the
facility also is in compliance with applicable State and federal laws and regulations
concerning licensure, patient safety, and quality of care.

���� c.���� As used in this
section:

���� �Pediatric skilled care
nursing facility� means a nursing facility that has been approved by the
Department of Health and the Department of Human Services to provide care to
New Jersey Medicaid and NJ FamilyCare enrollees, up to 21 years of age, who
require specialized nursing facility services beyond the scope of a
conventional nursing facility.

���� d.��� The Commissioner of
Human Services shall adopt such rules and regulations, pursuant to the
�Administrative Procedure Act,� P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), as may be
necessary to implement the provisions of this section.

���� 2.��� The Commissioner of
Human Services shall apply for such State plan amendments or waivers as shall
be necessary to implement the provisions of this act and to ensure federal
financial participation for State expenditures under the federal Medicaid
program and the Children�s Health Insurance Program.

���� 3.��� There are appropriated
from the General Fund to the Department of Human Services such sums as shall be
necessary to effectuate the provisions of this act.

���� 4.��� This act shall take
effect on 60th date after the date of enactment, except the Commissioner of
Human Services may take any advance administrative action as shall be necessary
for the implementation of this act.

STATEMENT

���� This bill requires the
Division of Medical Assistance and Health Services (DMAHS) within the
Department of Human Services to establish a minimum Medicaid and NJ FamilyCare
reimbursement rate of $950.00 per day for pediatric special care nursing
facilities (SCNFs).� Pediatric SCNFs provide specialized, long-term care and
rehabilitation to medically fragile children and youth, up to 21 years of age.�
The bill, however, conditions the provision of this minimum reimbursement rate
upon a facility�s compliance with applicable State and federal laws and
regulations concerning licensure, patient safety, and quality of care.� The
bill additionally appropriates from the General Fund to the Department of Human
Services such sums as are necessary to implement this reimbursement rate
increase.

���� New Jersey currently has four
pediatric SCNFs that participate in the State Medicaid program and the NJ
FamilyCare program:� the Pediatric Long Term Care Center at Children�s
Specialized Hospital (Mountainside and Toms River), the Phoenix Center for Rehabilitation
and Pediatrics (Haskell), and the Voorhees Pediatric Facility (Voorhees).