Request a Change
Pay Bill
File a Claim
Understanding Health Insurance in New Jersey
According to the New Jersey Business & Industry Association (NJBIA), in 2022, 72.1 percent of New Jersey residents have secured private health insurance – a consistent statistic for several years. However, a staggering 30 percent navigate life uninsured.
The complexity of acquiring coverage and the associated cost remain formidable obstructions for those seeking health insurance. These hurdles make understanding when to purchase health insurance a crucial question for them.
Health Insurance Enrollment Periods in New Jersey
In New Jersey, the Open Enrollment Period through Get Covered NJ – the state’s health insurance marketplace – commences on November 1st and concludes on January 31st.
Outside the Open Enrollment Period, Get Covered NJ offers a Special Enrollment Period. This "grace period" caters to extenuating circumstances, generally labeled "life-changing events." Missing the Open Enrollment Period doesn’t preclude you from getting health insurance; you can alter an existing plan or sign up for new coverage within an additional 60-day period.
Qualifying Life-Changing Events By NJ Government Standards
The New Jersey government deems the following circumstances as life-changing, hence qualifying for special enrollment:
- Medical complication or enrollment issue that impeded you from getting health insurance
- Completion of a jail sentence
- Becoming a US citizen
- Income fluctuations impacting your insurance eligibility
- Transition from shelter to transitional housing
- Moving to an educational institution as a student
- Relocation from a US territory or foreign country to New Jersey
- Change of area within the state
- Legal separation or divorce creates changes in your health insurance
- Marriage
- Pregnancy
- Adding a child to your family through birth, foster care, or adoption
- Turning 26 and losing parent’s health insurance coverage
- Losing insurance coverage from a student, individual, or workplace plan
Furthermore, if your annual income equates to 200 percent of the US Federal Poverty Level, you are eligible for the Special Enrollment Period (SEP).
Contact Us For Your Insurance Needs
Contact Hanneken Insurance Agency Inc. for further clarifications on health insurance and the enrollment process. We are here to simplify insurance for you.