ASSEMBLY HEALTH COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

ASSEMBLY, No. 5089

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  DECEMBER 10, 2020

     The Assembly Health Committee reports favorably Assembly Bill No. 5089.

     This bill clarifies that County Option Hospital Fee Pilot Program is to expire five years after each participating county has collected a local health care-related fee, which is authorized to be imposed under existing law.  Currently, participating counties cannot collect this fee until the State receives any necessary federal approvals to implement the provisions of the existing law and to secure federal financial participation for State Medicaid expenditures.  The uncertainty of these approvals may result in the pilot expiring before the provisions of the law have been implemented.  As such, this bill provides that upon the collection of the fee by each participating county, the pilot program will have five years to fully operate.