Thousands of Families to Get Express NJ FamilyCare Applications

Posted on 5/10/2010

Families throughout New Jersey who have a child with no health insurance should know that help is on the way. It is coming via U.S. mail.

Starting this week, the state of New Jersey is mailing easy-to-complete applications for health insurance to thousands of families across the state with children who are currently uninsured.

Families who indicated on their 2009 tax return that they have an uninsured child will receive the mailing. The state will mail about 9,000 applications each week until all of these families are contacted.

Each application is in a yellow envelope marked, NJ FAMILYCARE EXPRESS LANE APPLICATION FOR HEALTH INSURANCE ENCLOSED.

“We encourage parents to take advantage of this opportunity,” said Mary Coogan, assistant director of the Association for Children of New Jersey, which has helped lead the drive to expand enrollment of children in NJ FamilyCare.

“Children with health coverage are more likely to get the preventative care they need to stay healthy,” Coogan added. “Parents whose children have medical insurance have the peace of mind of knowing that their children will be able to get regular checkups and medical treatment when they are sick or injured.”

Parents should also be assured that NJ Family Care is committed to covering uninsured children and protecting families’ privacy, Coogan said. Information provided to NJ Family Care is used only to enroll children.

NJ FamilyCare is a low-cost or free program for income-eligible families. For example, a family of four earning up to $77,175 (or 350 percent of the federal poverty level) can qualify to insure their children for about $130 a month in the state- and federally-funded program.

NJ FamilyCare ADVANTAGE is a “buy-in” program for families earning more than 350 percent of the federal poverty level. The maximum monthly premium is $411 for a family with three or more children.

Applications are printed in both English and Spanish. The state also has a translation service and materials available in 13 additional languages. For help, call 1-800-701-0710, or visit www.njfamilycare.org. Parents can also contact the Association for Children of New Jersey at 973-643-3876 or njfamilycare@acnj.org.

The Association for Children of New Jersey (ACNJ) is a leading, nonprofit child advocacy group dedicated to improving the health and well-being of New Jersey’s children. ACNJ is assisting the state in its outreach efforts to boost enrollment in NJ FamilyCare. For more information, visit www.acnj.org.