9 in 10 people Who Enroll Will Qualify for Savings; Many Pay $10 a Month or Less for Health Coverage
Residents Can View Available Plans and See if They Qualify for Financial Help Now at GetCovered.NJ.gov
TRENTON — Governor Phil Murphy and New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance Acting Commissioner Justin Zimmerman today announced that the annual Open Enrollment Period at Get Covered New Jersey (GetCovered.NJ.gov), the state’s Official Health Insurance Marketplace, has begun. Consumers will continue to benefit from historic levels of financial help that remain available and more health plan options with an additional insurance company offering plans on the marketplace.
Funding supports free tailored assistance to residents looking for coverage through the state’s official health insurance marketplace, Get Covered New Jersey
TRENTON — Governor Phil Murphy and Department of Banking and Insurance Acting Commissioner Justin Zimmerman announced today $5 million in Navigator grants awards to 26 community organizations to assist in enrolling uninsured and underinsured New Jersey residents in health coverage through Get Covered New Jersey, New Jersey’s Official Health Insurance Marketplace during the Affordable Care Act Open Enrollment Period and throughout the year. The 2023-2024 Open Enrollment Period starts November 1st.
The grant-funded health insurance Navigators will provide free outreach, education, and enrollment assistance to residents shopping for health insurance and help them apply for financial help.
I managed movie theaters for most of the '90's, and was in charge of the concession stand & its staff. One year I came back from vacation to find the employees cleaning the concession stand after a big rush of customers.
I was happy to see this until I realized that some of the staff were using a mop with bleach-based cleanser to clean the floor at the same time other staffers were using an ammonia-based cleanser to clean the glass popcorn bins right next to the employee mopping.
I freaked out a bit, ordering them to stop immediately and turning on a fan to blow the fumes in opposite directions. Apparently neither the employees nor the other manager who had been covering my department while I was on vacation had ever learned that mixing bleach and ammonia can be fatal.
When I asked about it, the other manager apologized but explained that they were simply trying to follow both state and local health/safety board rules. You see, some of the staff were college students while others were minor high school students.
NJDOBI Adopts Regulations to Require Comprehensive Abortion Coverage in Department Regulated Health Insurance Markets
TRENTON – As part of the Murphy Administration’s efforts to protect access to reproductive health care, the New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance today announced the adoption of rules to require comprehensive abortion coverage as a part of all health benefits plans regulated by the department. This requirement, which was in place as of January 1, 2023 in the individual and small employer health insurance markets, will now be in effect for the fully-insured large employer health insurance market upon plan issuance or renewal.
NJ Department of Banking and Insurance Announces Federal Approval of Section 1332 State Innovation Waiver Extension to Continue Reinsurance Program
Reinsurance Program Improves Health Insurance Affordability
TRENTON – The New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance today announced the state received federal approval of a Section 1332 State Innovation Waiver Extension to continue a reinsurance program that lowers health insurance premiums in the individual market by 15 percent. The reinsurance program increases certainty and stability in New Jersey’s individual health insurance market.
Open Enrollment Period at Get Covered New Jersey Begins November 1, 2023
Historic Levels of Financial Help Remain Available for the Upcoming Year
TRENTON — The New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance today announced it is accepting applications for community organizations to serve as Navigators to assist residents with health insurance enrollment for the upcoming Get Covered New Jersey Open Enrollment Period and throughout 2024. This year, the department is making available a total of $5 million in grant funding for Navigators in an effort to ensure enrollment assistance is available in the community for residents seeking coverage through Get Covered New Jersey, the state’s official health insurance marketplace.
New Jersey individual & small group market carriers are asking for unweighted average rate increases of 6.7% and 13.0% respectively for 2024. However, the unweighted averages don't tell the whole story--the carriers are asking for rate hikes ranging from as low as 3.8% to as high as 13.8% on the individual market, and from as low as 2.3% to a stunning 25.9% for small group plans.
As is the case with far too many states these days, most of the rate filing memorandums are heavily redacted in New Jersey, making it nearly impossible to get ahold of the actual enrollment numbers, which means I have no way of running a weighted average on either market.
New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance Issues Guidance to Insurance Carriers to Ensure Nondiscriminatory Health Coverage to Transgender Individuals
Addresses obligation to follow laws against discrimination based on gender identity, gender expression or on the basis that an individual is a transgender person
TRENTON — Department of Banking and Insurance Acting Commissioner Justin Zimmerman today issued a bulletin providing guidance to insurance carriers concerning health coverage for transgender individuals to ensure all New Jersey residents have equal access to health coverage and health care.
The guidance follows Executive Order No. 326 signed by Governor Phil Murphy in April protecting gender-affirming health care in New Jersey.
New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance Establishes Extended Special Enrollment Period at Get Covered New Jersey for Individuals Losing NJ FamilyCare Coverage
TRENTON – New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance Commissioner Marlene Caride today announced the creation of an extended Special Enrollment Period for individuals who are no longer eligible for NJ FamilyCare and qualify for health insurance through Get Covered New Jersey, the state’s Official Health Insurance Marketplace.
Per federal law, the Department of Human Services is restarting eligibility reviews for NJ FamilyCare as of April 1, which will result in some individuals who are no longer eligible being disenrolled from the program. For those who no longer qualify for NJ FamilyCare because their income is too high, they may be eligible to obtain health coverage through Get Covered New Jersey and may be able to get help paying for premiums.
Feds Approve Innovative NJ FamilyCare Projects Addressing Housing, Behavioral & Physical Health, Providing Care & Other Creative Approaches
1115 Demonstration Approval Continues Long-Standing Medicaid Programs and Allows New Innovations
TRENTON – The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has approved innovative NJ FamilyCare projects designed to address priorities such as housing, integrating behavioral and physical health services, and new and creative approaches to providing care.
CMS signed off on the projects by approving NJ FamilyCare’s Comprehensive 1115 Demonstration renewal. The 1115 demonstration provides the state with federal authority to operate large parts of the NJ FamilyCare program. The approval is in effect from April 1, 2023 through June 30, 2028.
