As of April 1, 2026, NJ FamilyCare (Medicaid) covers community-based palliative care for eligible members living with serious illness.
GOCCNJ is committed to supporting providers, educating communities, and ensuring that this new benefit delivers on its promise — helping patients with serious illness get the care they need and no less, and the care they want and no more.
New Jersey has taken an important step in expanding access to supportive care for people living with serious illness.
Implementation matters.
Who Is It For?
This benefit is for NJ FamilyCare members who:
- Are living with a serious illness and whose quality of life has been impacted by their disease.
It is designed for people who:
- Have a serious disease diagnosis* and show evidence** of reduced quality of life
- Are still receiving treatment
- Need help managing quality of life
*Serious disease diagnosis (non-exhaustive list)
Adults: Alzheimer’s or dementias, Cancer (stage III or IV), COPD, Congestive Heart Failure, Cirrhosis or liver disease, Diabetes, ESRD or chronic kidney disease, stroke, AIDS, degenerative neurological condition
Children: Pulmonary Disease, Cardiac Disease, Neonatal, End-stage Liver Disease, Genetic Disorders, Renal Disease, Metabolic/Inclusion Disease, Infectious Disease, Cancer, Orthopedic Disorders, Gastrointestinal Disease, Neurological Disorder
**Evidence of reduced quality of life demonstrated by one or more of the following:
- Evidence of functional decline (e.g., difficulty with at least one activity of daily living)
- Hospitalization within past year
- Two or more ED visits in past 6 months
What Does It Include?
Covered services may include:
- Comprehensive care planning and coordination
- Advance care planning discussions
- Symptom assessment and management
- Medication review: adjustments, titration, and prescribing
- Psychosocial counseling and family/caregiver support
- Home-based or clinic-based visits by licensed practitioners
- Spiritual and emotional care
- Referral coordination to Medicaid-covered services
- Access to 24/7 telephone line
The launch of the NJ FamilyCare CBPC benefit on April 1, 2026 creates new opportunities and new responsibilities for providers across the state.
Enrollment Guidance
Credentialing Information
DMAHS training sessions
EDUCATION RESOURCES
The GOCCNJ Learning Center offers CME/CE courses that meet DMAHS requirements for Practitioner Level Proficiency in Palliative Care for the New NJ Medicaid Community-Based Palliative Care.
CME/CE
Advance Care Planning (ACP) Certificate Program
CME/CE
A Walk in the Woods: Updates on Palliative Medicine and End-of-Life Care
Free CME/CEU programming
CAPC Training
Why this Matters?
New Jersey faces growing demand:
- By 2030, more than 1.85 million residents will be age 65+
- Many live with multiple chronic conditions
- Avoidable hospitalizations remain common
- Many individuals lack advance care planning
This benefit aims to:
- Expand access
- Promote earlier support
- Reduce unnecessary crises
- Improve patient and caregiver experience
Important dates:
- Medicaid enrollment is open; apply NOW!
- On April 1, providers who have completed enrollment and credentialing may start to bill MCOs and begin delivering services to members
HEALTH PROFESSIONAL RESOURCES
Palliative care at-a-glance
Quick info on palliative care
SEARCH
GOCCNJ Palliative Care Provider Directory
Your CarePlan
POLST Completion Tool Quality Improvement Program
LEARNING CENTER
Continuing education courses tailored to every specialty
4Step iCarePlan
Conversation Assistant for Health Professionals and Spiritual Care Providers
POLST Form
Practitioner Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment