Manuel Guaman, Maria Guaman, Nadia Chery, Deyinira Valenzuela, Rosa Rodriguez, and Keithion Blake v. Jennifer Velez, Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Human Services, and John Guhl, Director of Medical Assistance and Health Services

Summary

The Supreme Court of New Jersey affirmed the Appellate Division’s judgment upholding the termination of state-funded Medicaid benefits for certain lawful permanent resident aliens who had not satisfied the federal five-year residency requirement under PRWORA. The Court concluded that New Jersey’s policy was authorized by the federal statutory framework and did not violate the Federal or New Jersey Constitutions. Chief Justice Rabner and Justice Albin dissented, and Judge Cuff did not participate.

Holdings

1. New Jersey may deny state-funded Medicaid or Medicaid-like benefits to lawful permanent resident aliens who do not meet PRWORA's five-year residency requirement when the State acts consistently with the federal policy reflected in PRWORA.
2. The challenged regulations did not violate the equal protection guarantees of either the United States Constitution or the New Jersey Constitution.

Questions Presented

1. Whether New Jersey could deny state-funded Medicaid or Medicaid-like benefits to adult lawful permanent resident aliens who did not satisfy PRWORA's federal five-year residency requirement.
2. Whether the challenged state regulations violated the equal protection guarantees of the United States Constitution or the New Jersey Constitution.
3. Whether PRWORA's federal immigration and public-benefits policy uniformly authorized states to adopt the five-year residency restriction.

Disposition

affirmed