Bills affecting Senior (65+, Medicare/SS) in New Jersey — 2026 session

Expands Medicare health care coverage to all New Jersey residents.

Establishes program for certain individuals to become certified homemaker-home health aides and provide services to certain Medicaid and Medicaid-Medicare dually eligible enrollees under increased reimbursement rates.

Expands scope of Office of State Long-Term Care Ombudsman; appropriates $1 million.

Requires long-term care facility to post certain information on its Internet website regarding Office of State Long-Term Care Ombudsman.

Extends regulatory power of State Long-Term Care Ombudsman to senior housing.

Requires long-term care facilities to annually review residents' proxy directives.

Imposes minimum staffing requirements and certain reporting requirements on certain long-term care facilities.

Requires Medicaid reimbursement rates for certain primary and mental health care services match reimbursement rates under Medicare.

Revises procedures for processing incomplete Medicaid applications; exempts asset transfers of up to $500 per month during look back period for determining eligibility for long-term care services.

Allows each county to create central registry and provide emergency supply kits to distribute to senior residents during emergencies; appropriates funds.

Provides for filing extension and alternate medical documentation in PFRS, SPRS, or PERS for accidental disability retirement in certain circumstances; extends accidental death benefit for survivors of certain SPRS retirees.

Provides gross income tax credit for certain expenses paid or incurred for care and support of qualifying senior family member; designated as Caregiver's Assistance Act.

Permits any member of PERS to receive accidental disability retirement allowance for disability resulting from participation in 9/11 World Trade Center rescue, recovery, or cleanup operations.

Reinstates automatic COLAs for retirement benefits of certain PFRS members.

Excludes contributions made to certain retirement savings plans under gross income tax.

Reinstates automatic COLA for retirement benefits of members of the State-administered retirement systems.

Provides TPAF members and certain retirees same benefits provided to members enrolled in retirement system before July 1, 2007.

Eliminates smoking ban exemption for casinos and simulcasting facilities.

Establishes minimum Medicaid reimbursement rate for structured day program services provided to beneficiary eligible for brain injury services.

Increases amount of cigarette and other tobacco products tax revenues provided to New Jersey Commission on Cancer Research to $10 million; establishes dedicated, non-lapsing Cancer Research Fund.