Health insurance for children
The state of New Jersey (NJ) provides affordable health insurance coverage to children. The program is called NJ FamilyCare. It's a federal and state-sponsored program also known as the State Children's Health Insurance Program or S-CHIP. It provides children of families who don't have access to employer-sponsored health insurance and don't qualify for Medicaid with access to coverage. The coverage available through NJ FamilyCare is generally less expensive than private insurance. As of February 2010, there were more than 629,000 children receiving coverage under NJ FamilyCare.
Eligibility
To be eligible for NJ FamilyCare, children must be 18 years of age or younger. In addition, family income can't exceed 350 percent of the federal poverty level (FPL). For a family of four, that means that total monthly income can't be more than $6,432 for children to be eligible as of March 2010.
Benefits
There are different Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) plan options available based on the county in which you live. Each county offers a minimum of three choices, and some offer as many as five. All plans are designed to offer comprehensive medical services with some restrictions based on income. Services generally include doctor's visits, hospitalization, x-rays, prescription drugs and mental health, among others.
Premiums and Copayments
Depending on your family's income, you may be required to pay a monthly premium and copayments to participate in NJ FamilyCare. Families with incomes below 200 percent of the FPL are exempt from monthly premiums, but only those families with incomes below 150 percent of the FPL are exempt from copayments. Families with incomes at or above 150 percent of the FPL must pay a copayment at the time services are delivered. Copayments are anywhere from $5 to $35, depending on your family's income as of March 2010. Families at or above 200 percent of FPL must pay a monthly premium of $40 to $130 per month as of March 2010.
Applying for NJ FamilyCare
Applying for NJ FamilyCare is free. There's an online application available on the program's website. You can also contact NJ FamilyCare 800-701-0710 if you need help with the application or have questions about the program. The NJ FamilyCare website also provides a link where you can find outreach and enrollment locations available in each of the state's 21 counties.
Plan Selection
Once your application is approved for NJ FamilyCare, you can select an HMO plan option that best suits your children's needs. A list of participating physicians and dentists is provided to you.
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