N.J. Admin. Code § 10:52-11.8 - Income eligibility criteria and documentation

(a) The hospital shall determine the applicant's family size in accordance with this section. Family size for an adult applicant includes the applicant, spouse, any minor children whom he or she supports, and adults for whom the applicant is legally responsible. The family size for a minor applicant includes both parents, the spouse of a parent, minor siblings and any adults in the family for whom the applicant's parent(s) are legally responsible. If an applicant documents that he or she has been abandoned by a spouse or parent, that spouse or parent shall not be included as a family member. A pregnant female counts as two family members.

(b) The provisions of 42 U.S.C. § 9902(2), the poverty guidelines revised annually by the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), are hereby incorporated by reference. (For further information on the poverty guidelines, contact the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, Room 415F, Department of Health and Human Services, 200 Independence Avenue, SW Washington, D.C. 20201, Telephone (202) 690-7858; Website: http://aspe.hhs.gov/.) A person is eligible for charity care or reduced charge charity care if he or she falls into one of the following categories:

1. A person whose individual or, if applicable, family income, as determined by (e) below, is less than or equal to 200 percent of the HHS Poverty Guidelines shall be eligible for charity care for necessary health services without cost.

2. A person whose individual or, if applicable, family, income as determined by (e) below, is greater than 200 percent of the HHS Poverty Guidelines but not more than 300 percent of these guidelines is eligible for charity care at a reduced rate as described in (c) below.

(c) A person who is eligible for reduced charge health services shall be charged a percentage of the normal charge for health services as described in the table below. The reduced percentage can be applied to the total bill or, until July 1, 1995, to any remainder after third party payment. Beginning July 1, 1995, charity care availability for persons with health insurance shall be subject to Federal disproportionate share rules.

Income as a percentage of	Percentage of Charges
HHS Poverty Guidelines	Paid by Applicant
>200 to 225 ...........................	20
>225 to 250 ...........................	40
>250 to 275 ...........................	60
>275 to 300 ...........................	80

(d) If qualified medical expenses, as defined for the purposes of Federal income tax deductibility, for applicants eligible for reduced charge charity care exceeds 30 percent of the applicant's or family's, if applicable, annual gross income as calculated by (e) below, such excess will be eligible for 100 percent coverage under charity care. The 30 percent threshold must be met once per family in a 12 month period.

(e) An applicant's income, for the purpose of determining eligibility for charity care or reduced charge charity care, shall be determined as follows:

1. The applicant may provide proof of the actual gross income for the 12 months immediately preceding the services;

2. The applicant may provide proof of actual gross income for the three months immediately preceding services. The hospital shall multiply this amount by four to determine the gross annual income; or

3. The applicant may provide proof of actual gross income for the month immediately preceding service. The hospital shall multiply this amount by 12 to determine the gross annual income.

4. If the applicant provides documentation for more than one salary period specified in paragraphs (e)1 through 3 above, the hospital shall use the period of time during which the salary was the lowest.

5. If the applicant is a welfare recipient and has not documented income as described in (e)1 through 3 above, the hospital shall document income status by obtaining a photocopy of the applicant's welfare identification, and document that the staff of the hospital obtained verification in writing or by phone of the applicant's current benefit amount from the appropriate local welfare office.

6. An applicant shall supply a signed attestation showing his or her unreported income in order for that income to be considered in the eligibility determination, as described in (b) above.

Notes

N.J. Admin. Code § 10:52-11.8

Amended by 50 N.J.R. 1261(a), effective 5/21/2018