Victory! Governor Corzine Signs Landmark Long-Term Care Legislation
By: Source: AARP.org Date Posted: 2006-07-05 15:34:00-04:00
For too long, the state’s Medicaid long-term care consumers have had little or no choice about where they receive services and care. Many consumers have been forced into nursing homes regardless of the fact they would prefer to stay in their own home or community.
Thanks to an Executive Order signed by then-Governor Codey last year at the 2005 AARP New Jersey Long-Term Care summit, The Department of Health & Senior Services and the Department of Human Services have been testing a pilot program over the past year.
The pilot has examined three initiatives:
Money Follows the Person
This means that money allotted to an individual’s long-term care by the State can be used for care that best suits that person. Until now, State funds have been funneled into particular services that may or may not be the best choice for the individuals in need of long-term care. This aspect of the pilot program can mean the difference between someone being forced into a nursing home or being able to receive the care they need in a home or community-based setting.
Consumer Direction
This gives individuals more choices about the care they receive at home. The consumer-directed care program fills in the gaps for the times when home health aides are not available and offers consumers more autonomy in the planning of their own care.
Fast-Track Eligibility for Medicaid Beneficiaries
Speeding up the application process can help prevent unnecessary turmoil and possible entry into a nursing home for many of New Jersey’s Medicaid recipients.
Together these initiatives have provided powerful tools for individuals and their families. The pilot has successfully enabled hundreds of people to transition out of nursing homes and move back into their own homes and communities. The program has also prevented many more from entering nursing homes in the first place. However, the current pilot program is limited to only two counties and does not provide a permanent mechanism to balance home- and community-based care and nursing home services.
Thanks to the passage of Senate bill No. 1642, “The Independence, Dignity, & Choice in Long-Term Care Act”, these limitations will be addressed and the initiatives described above will expand into all 21 counties in New Jersey beginning in January 2008.
On June 21, Governor Corzine attended AARP New Jersey’s Long-Term Care Summit at the Trenton Marriott and made history by signing this groundbreaking long-term care legislation into law. The bill had only just been voted on by the full Senate two days beforehand. More than 300 AARP members, legislators and community leaders from across the state were present for the bill signing.
This is a new vision for aging with dignity in the Garden State. Congratulations New Jersey.
Related Articles
- AARP Policy and Research – Topics in Long-Term Care
Other Resources
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Rutgers Center for State Health Policy
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Medicare.gov: What is Long Term Care?
- CBS/Clearinghouse for Community Living Exchange Collaboration
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