New Jersey FamilyCare’s Medicaid program has many components that serve different population groups of people who are aged, disabled or poor. Did you know that there is a Medical Assistance Advisory Committee (MACC) which meets regularly and is required to hold quarterly public forums? On February 5th, along with other members of New Jersey NAELA, I attended the first MAAC (Medical Assistance Advisory Committee) meeting of the year. MAAC meets quarterly outside of Trenton to discuss issues related to Medicaid and to take stakeholder input. It was quite a lively meeting.
In the audience there were attorneys, non-profit advocates, members of County Boards of Social Services, representatives of the Medicaid Managed Care Organizations and several Medicaid enrollees. Here are some of the issues discussed at the meeting:
— implementation of S499 and how that relates to denials of Medicaid applications for failure to provide certain information;
— Transitioning Medicaid/ MLTSS recipients from a nursing home to a home in the community and how to assure continuity of care when the person switches from one program to the other;
— reductions in Private Duty Nursing and Personal Care Assistant (home health aide) hours for certain enrollees;
— how enrollees transition from one way of having Medicaid eligibility to another.
— an update on the Coronavirus, and many other topics.
I asked questions and expressed concern about how the State was implementing S499’s provision about giving extensions to applicants to obtain documentation. I also commented on the importance of planning ahead for Medicare eligibility when a Medicaid recipient is eligible under the ACA.
Stakeholders at the meeting have a chance to ask questions of the state officials who are responsible for the Medicaid program, and they also have a chance to make recommendations for future MAAC meeting presentations. If you have a concern about the Medicaid program in New Jersey, consider attending these meetings, or bringing them to the attention of your elder law attorney or another organization who can bring the concern to the MAAC.
Call us for advice on medicaid eligibility planning, applications and appeals ……… 732-382-6070