Residents of New Jersey are eligible for a number of health insurance programs from the state.
The state of New Jersey, like many other states, offers a number of health insurance plans to its citizens. These plans are mainly targeted at residents and employers in need, and are generally designed to make health care more affordable. Two of the plans operated by the state were enacted in 1992 as part of New Jersey's health-care reform legislation. These plans facilitate health-care coverage for individuals and small businesses. Two more plans, Medicaid and NJ Protect, have been created as a result of federal health-care legislation to cover individuals with special needs.
NJ Medicaid
Like most states, one of the biggest health insurance programs New Jersey offers is Medicaid. Medicaid is a federally-mandated state program that provides assistance to individuals and families in need. It is considered a means-tested program, so families must apply and be eligible to receive coverage through this program. In order to qualify for Medicaid assistance in New Jersey, you must be a legal resident of the state and a U.S. citizen. Medicaid is only available to low-income families with dependent children, low-income individuals older than 65, individuals who are blind or permanently disabled and pregnant women.
Small Employer Health Benefits Program
Small businesses often have a difficult time providing health insurance to their employees. This can make it harder for these businesses to compete with larger corporations or to attract a well-qualified workforce. To help address these problems and support small business, the state of New Jersey created a program in 1992 called the Small Employer Health Benefits Program, or SEH. Employers are eligible to purchase coverage for their workers through this program if they employ between two and 50 people on a full-time basis.
Individual Health Coverage Program
The state of New Jersey also created the Individual Health Coverage (IHC) Program in 1992 to improve residents' access to health insurance. This program allows individuals and families who are not covered through their employer or by another government program to purchase health-care insurance from a private carrier. New Jersey residents who decided to buy coverage through this program are guaranteed the ability to renew their coverage when their plan expires. In order to qualify for this program, an individual must be a resident of New Jersey, must be ineligible for an existing employer-based or government-sponsored plan, and must be ineligible for Medicaid or Medicare.
NJ Protect
One of the newer health insurance programs in New Jersey is called NJ Protect. This program was created with the partial implementation of the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, which was passed by Congress in 2010. This legislation is often referred to as the health-care reform bill in popular media. NJ Protect is designed to help provide health-care coverage to those who cannot receive or afford it due to a preexisting medical condition. The program provides coverage from the first day of enrollment to treat a preexisting condition and provide preventative care. In order to be eligible, an individual must be a New Jersey resident and a U.S. citizen or legally documented alien. Additionally, the individual must have a preexisting condition without health-care coverage for at least six months.
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