New Jersey Increases Medicaid Reimbursement Rate For Physicians Who Treat Children

New Jersey on Tuesday more than tripled Medicaid reimbursements for physicians who treat beneficiaries younger than age 21, the AP/Long Island Newsdayreports. Medicaid physician reimbursements for a child's office visitincreased from $23.03 to $73.70, and dentist reimbursements increasedfrom $18.02 per child's exam to $64.

Gov. Jon Corzine (D) lastsummer set aside $10 million in state funds to pay for the increases,and the state will receive an additional $10 million in matchingfederal funds. State Human Services Commissioner Jennifer Velez in astatement said that the rate increases are a "big step toward providingmore access for our clients," adding, "These new rates will benefitexisting Medicaid providers" and attract new providers.

An April 2007 study by Public Citizen's Health Research Groupfound that New Jersey provided the lowest Medicaid reimbursements ofall the states, although the analysis included adult and childservices. State Department of Human Servicespokesperson Suzanne Esterman said, "Hopefully, this will place NewJersey in a much higher standing than we have been" (Johnson, AP/LongIsland Newsday, 1/2).

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