30:13-16 Review of Medicaid recipient in free-standing special care nursing facility.

1. a. A Medicaid recipient who has been determined to be eligible to reside in a free-standing special care nursing facility specializing in the treatment of neurological impairment, and who, pursuant to that determination, has been admitted to residency in a free-standing special care nursing facility specializing in the treatment of neurological impairment, shall be eligible to continue to reside in the facility without limitation on the duration of stay, until achievement of the maximum benefit from the specialized programming and maximum level of functioning. A review to determine achievement of maximum benefit and maximum level of functioning shall include whether the resident develops skills leading to a more independent life and continues to benefit from active participation in community involvement, continuing education, employment in the community, sheltered workshop, extended rehabilitation, complex care and vocational training and whether the level of functioning would deteriorate if moved. Length of stay shall be determined by the Commissioner of Health and Senior Services on the basis of that review.

The review shall be performed by an independent contractor who shall not, during a period of six months after completion of the review, engage in the performance of any compensated work for the State other than a review pursuant to this act.

The first review under this subsection of any Medicaid recipient's continuing eligibility for residency at a free-standing special care nursing facility specializing in the treatment of neurological impairment shall occur not earlier than one year following the recipient's initial admission to the facility or the effective date of P.L.1999, c.426 (C.30:13-16 et seq.), whichever is later. After that first review, any subsequent such review of the recipient's residency at the free-standing special care nursing facility specializing in the treatment of neurological impairment shall be performed not more frequently than once every year. If a Medicaid recipient is determined, pursuant to a review under this subsection, to be no longer eligible for continued residency at a free-standing special care nursing facility specializing in the treatment of neurological impairment, the recipient shall be permitted to remain at the facility for 90 days following transmittal to the recipient of written notice of that determination.

b. As used in this act:

"Free-standing special care nursing facility" means a nursing facility that is not a unit attached to or on the same campus as a rehabilitation or acute hospital and is not a distinct unit within a Medicaid-certified conventional nursing facility and which has been approved by the Department of Health and Senior Services to provide care to New Jersey Medicaid recipients who require specialized nursing facility services beyond the scope of a conventional nursing facility.

L.1999,c.426,s.1.