New Jersey State Assistance With Medical Bills

New Jersey offers uninsured and underinsured patients an array of options to help pay medical bills, as well as health insurance options to make medical bills affordable, through outlets such as hospital charity care, NJ FamilyCare and Medicaid.

Payment Assistance

• The New Jersey Hospital Care Payment Assistance Program (Charity Care Assistance) offers free or reduced pricing on most inpatient and outpatient services. Eligibility is dependent on meeting income criteria, not having any health insurance or health insurance that pays only part of the bill, and ineligibility for government health insurance such as Medicaid.

FamilyCare

• For uninsured children and low-income parents, NJ FamilyCare offers full health care coverage through health maintenance organizations. Families either pay a low monthly premium and a low copay, or pay nothing and are entitled to most health care services. Children generally need to be without insurance for at least three months and parents need to be legal permanent residents for at least five years.

New Jersey Medicaid

• As of 1995, New Jersey Medicaid changed from a system where doctors and other health care providers billed Medicaid directly to a managed care system using HMOs. Patients now enroll into an HMO of their own choosing, which manages their health care and wellness as well as billing issues. Fees vary based on the package the patient chooses and the HMO.