A while ago I wrote that New Jersey was taking the federal funds to expand Medicaid to those under 138% of poverty. This is based on a person’s Modified Adjusted Gross Income–no asset test, no lookback. if you are an adult tax dependant and you think you are earning less than this, consider filing your own return, or talk to an accountant.
Many of our clients and their families are paying for the health insurance of an adult family member who may be out of work or contemplating disability status, or they may be uninsured altogether and trying to spend down to Medicaid eligibility. This is the population the Medicaid expansion is for!! Right now, New Jersey is putting together the application process for this, but a sample application that the feds designed can be found here. For a healthy person who is Medicaid-eligible in New Jersey, their Medicaid benefits would be benchmark benefits, based on the Horizon HMO Medicaid plan. And if you are Medically Frail, you may be entitled to an enhanced benefit package as well. More info to come in the fall, so stay tuned!