Notification Date: January 11 2025
As part of QPharma’s ongoing commitment to supporting life sciences, we are providing this regulatory alert regarding updated meal limits for New Jersey prescribers.
The definition of “modest meals” under New Jersey law allows for a self-executing method for adjusting these meal limit amounts over time.
This rule states that “in each succeeding calendar year after 2018, these amounts shall be adjusted if the Consumer Price Index reflects a sum, which, if rounded, consistent with the definition of ‘Consumer Price Index,’ would raise it by one dollar increments.” N.J.A.C. 13:45JH-1.2 defines “Consumer Price Index” as [page=1748]”the annual average, rounded to the nearest dollar, of the Consumer Price Index for Food Away From Home–Northeast Urban, as posted in January for the preceding year by the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics at http://www.bls.gov/, or a successor index. To round, amounts under 50 cents shall be disregarded, and amounts of 50 cents or more shall be increased to the next dollar.”
- The table below reflects the limits on “modest meals” for each year since 2018, according to the self-executing formula set forth at N.J.A.C. 13:45J-1.2.
- The CPI is determined at the end of each year, and that is the number we use to calculate a meal limit increase for the following year. (i.e., the 2023 CPI is used to determine the 2024 meal limit)
- As stated in the table below, the NJ modest meal limits for 2024 based on the 2023 CPI can be increased to $18.00 for breakfast and lunch and $36.00 for dinner. This increase is at the discretion of each manufacturer.
- The only action needed at this time is to alert your internal teams of the meal limit if aligned with your company policies.
Table 1: Modest Meals Calculation Using Consumer Price Index (CPI)
|
CPI Year |
Annual Average CPI for Prior Year |
Rounded Annual Average CPI for Prior Year (Rounded) |
Percent Change in CPI (Prior Year over Two Years Prior) |
Increase in Breakfast and Lunch Limit |
Breakfast and Lunch Limit |
Increase in Dinner Limit |
Dinner Limit |
|
2018 |
272.515 |
273 |
N/A |
N/A |
$15.00 |
N/A |
$30.00 |
|
2019 |
280.042 |
280 |
2.564 |
$0.39 |
$15.00 |
$0.77 |
$31.00 |
|
2020 |
288.072 |
288 |
2.857 |
$0.43 |
$15.00 |
$0.89 |
$32.00 |
|
2021 |
298.490 |
298 |
3.472 |
$0.52 |
$16.00 |
$1.11 |
$33.00 |
|
2022 |
312.707 |
313 |
5.034 |
$0.81 |
$17.00 |
$1.67 |
$35.00 |
|
2023 |
306.746 |
307 |
3.4 |
$0.58 |
$18.00 |
$1.19 |
$36.00 |
About QPharma
QPharma services include regulatory strategy transparency reporting, state disclosure laws, and compliance operations to the life science industry. For more information or to discuss your requirements contact QPharma
