New Jersey Long-Term Care OmbudsmanNEW! Medicaid Cuts: A Message from Nursing Home Residents
NEW! 2025 Election Guide for Long-Term Care Residents
When the Legislature reopens for business this month, the Long-Term Care Ombudsman (LTCO) and fellow advocates will lead a push to pass legislation requiring greater financial disclosures from nursing homes.
Many New Jersey nursing homes pay related parties — companies owned by the same people who own the nursing home — for property leases, management fees, and services such as staffing, supplies, and food.
Currently, nursing homes need not account for how much of those payments go toward resident care and how much is profit for the owners. Bill S1948/A1872 would help address this weakness by requiring certified financial statements for nursing homes and any related parties involved in their operations.
But the bills have been stuck in committee since January 2024. The LTCO and organizations such as AARP-New Jersey and the National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care have been supporting improved financial reporting rules for many years. They will work to try to advance S1948/A1872 through the Senate and Assembly before the legislative session ends Jan. 13, 2026.
The NJ Nursing Homes Residents United group will take action to support the legislation as well. If you would like to get involved, please contact Community Engagement at 1-609-690-4740 or community@ltco.nj.gov.
As the holidays approach, remember that state and federal laws give you the right to leave the nursing home during the day for family gatherings or outings and to coordinate with your facility for overnight stays with family or friends.
If you are staying in, nursing homes must accommodate visits from loved ones, even amid outbreaks of the flu, COVID, or other infectious diseases. If you are denied visitation, call the LTCO at 1-877-582-6995.
NJ Nursing Home Residents United will continue leading a push to pass a bill that would raise the personal needs allowance from $50 to $140 a month. Want to get involved? Call 1-609-690-4740 or email us at community@ltco.nj.gov.
Older adults and people with disabilities shared their stories in a video released last month by Disability Rights New Jersey in collaboration with the LTCO.
The Save Medicaid. Save Lives video can be viewed on Disability Rights New Jersey’s YouTube channel.
The video aims to raise public awareness and educate state legislators on the disastrous impact of cuts to Medicaid. Thank you to Gail Smith, a member of NJ Nursing Home Residents United, for lending her voice to this project.
Official Site of The State of New Jersey