AARP New Jersey Director of Advocacy, Evelyn Liebman, provided the following statement:

“We applaud the NJ Legislature for passing bi-partisan legislation (S3495/A4049) that will help older New Jersey residents stay in the homes and communities they love.

“New Jersey’s older residents need and deserve quality, affordable care at home. Currently, when health issues arise, Medicaid approval takes far too long – often months – for seniors who need services. While they wait, seniors, who are likely to qualify for Medicaid, are often forced out of their homes and into nursing homes, which costs taxpayers more money.

“We applaud Senate President Nicholas Scutari, Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin and all NJ lawmakers for passing legislation that expedites the application process and allows residents who are likely to qualify for Medicaid to begin receiving services in their homes when they need them. Timely access to services can mean the difference between someone staying in their home or entering a nursing home. We applaud Senators Joe Vitale and Gordon Johnson and Assembly members Angela McKnight, Verlina Reynolds-Jackson and Daniel Benson for championing this legislation.

“We urge Governor Murphy to quickly sign the legislation to modernize New Jersey’s Medicaid system and ensure older residents can age with dignity in their homes.

“The COVID-19 pandemic shined a bright light on New Jersey’s need to take bold and transformative action to improve safety, quality and dignity in caring for our state’s older adults. Enacting S3495/A4049 would be a transformative step to help keep older residents in their homes where they want to be and with the services they need.

“The non-partisan NJ Office of Legislative Services (OLS) estimates that S3495/A4049 will result in annual net state cost savings of $24 million to $99.5 million, by reducing the number of residents in nursing homes.”

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About AARP New Jersey
AARP is the nation’s largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to empowering people 50 and older to choose how they live as they age. AARP New Jersey educates and advocates on behalf of those 50 and older on issues that are important to them, their families and to all Garden State residents. The organization works to strengthen New Jersey communities with a focus on health security, financial stability and personal fulfillment. To learn more, visit www.aarp.org/nj or follow @AARPNJ on social media.