Does New Jersey Pay for Home Health Care?

Seniors who participate in New Jersey’s Medicaid program have the option of home health services that can be paid for by the state, rather than accepting placement in a nursing home. To qualify, the senior must be enrolled in Medicaid, live permanently in New Jersey and have a doctor verify a medical need that would justify placement in a nursing home, but attest that all the senior’s needs can be met at home with a home health aide. Seniors who qualify for Medicaid but opt into the MLTSS care plan receive the same level of care, but all services are delivered through the state’s managed care plan, which operates as an HMO. This may limit the available options for finding a home health aide to strictly in-network home health agencies.

Seniors who need home health assistance but who do not meet the income or asset limitations of Medicaid have another option in the Jersey Assistance for Community Caregiving (JACC) program, which is administered through local Area Agencies on Aging. This program helps seniors with a wide range of home care needs, including adult day health care, chore assistance, home modifications, home-delivered meals, personal emergency response systems, respite care, some durable medical equipment and disposable medical supplies, transportation and home health aide visits. Benefits have a monthly expense limit of $929.88 per participant per month, or $11,158.56 a year in total, as of 2023.

To be eligible and enroll in JACC, seniors in New Jersey may earn more than the upper limit for Medicaid, but still have a monthly income no greater than 365% of the federal poverty level ($4,435 for individuals and $5,997 for married couples in 2023). Countable assets are limited to $40,000 for individual applicants and $60,000 for couples. Applicants must be seniors aged 60 and over, reside in a private home rather than in a facility and meet U.S. and New Jersey residency standards.