Implement Health Care Reform
New Jersey Offers High-Risk Insurance Pool
In March 2010, Congress passed the health care reform law, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The law created a temporary program until January 2014 that makes coverage available for individuals who have a pre-existing medical condition, have not had insurance for six months, and who are legal US residents.
This new program is called the Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan (PCIP) and will be available throughout the country. In New Jersey, the PCIP plan is the NJ Protect plan, administered by Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey and AmeriHealth.
PCIP plans will operate until the year 2014. At that time other provisions of health care reform will go into effect and state health benefit exchanges will be available for individuals to purchase coverage.
The NJ Protect plans are available to you if you meet the following requirements:
- Must be a U.S. citizen, a non-citizen national or a legal alien
- Must be a New Jersey resident
- Must have been uninsured for at least the last six months
- Must have a pre-existing medical condition
The NJ Protect plans offer comprehensive benefits while providing direct access to doctors without a referral.
For more information, or to download an application, click here.
Health Insurance Web Portal (healthcare.gov)
The federal government has created a new web tool to shop for available insurance options in a particular geographic area. The consumer-friendly website, www.healthcare.gov, collects more information than has ever been available before about the various health care options in each community. The site will eventually have information on plans that are available in the health exchanges, set to be launched by 2014.
New Jersey Campaigns
Unless specifically noted otherwise, the Society, and not ACS CAN, is conducting the activities described on this page.
