Yes, the new financial help is here! If you are an existing customer, you can now log in to your GetCoveredNJ account to see if you qualify for lower premiums. If you are new to GetCoveredNJ, you can create an account to find out how much financial help you may qualify for.

Start or update your application now. Once you update your application, the increased financial help will begin at the start of the following month.

The lower costs can take effect as early as May 1^st for accounts updated in April.

This summer, New Jersey will automatically update financial help for as many existing consumers as possible to reduce premiums for customers who have not yet taken action.

NOTE: Current GetCoveredNJ enrollees who have received unemployment compensation in 2021, those who do not receive financial help, and those who have opted to apply only a portion of their financial help to their premium each month, will need to update their application to receive the lower premiums for which they qualify.

For more details, please use the guides on how to access your increased savings.

• New Customers
• Existing Customers

Current enrollees, including those who recently enrolled through the COVID-19 Special Enrollment Period (SEP), can update their applications and enrollments to get new eligibility by logging into their GetCoveredNJ accounts. You will need to confirm your health plan to ensure the lower premiums take effect for the remainder of the year.

Current enrollees may also choose to change their plans due to increased affordability through the COVID-19 SEP which will run until the end of the year. While your overall deductible may roll over from plan to plan, any costs you have already paid under your current plan may not count towards the annual maximum out-of-pocket limit of a new plan. If you have already paid significant amounts for medical care this year, you may want to consult with your insurance company, assister, or agent/broker to see how this might affect you and what options you may have to apply these payments to your new plan.

This summer, New Jersey will automatically update financial help for as many existing consumers as possible to reduce premiums for customers who have not yet taken action.

NOTE: Current GetCoveredNJ enrollees who have received unemployment compensation in 2021, those who do not receive financial help, and those who have opted to apply only a portion of their financial help to their premium each month, will need to update their application to receive the lower premiums for which they qualify.

For more details, please use our guide on how to access your increased savings.

• Existing Customers

Yes, you will be able to change your coverage based on any additional financial help you may receive.

If you change 2021 health plans without a gap in coverage during the calendar year, the amount you paid toward your deductible in your current plan will go toward your new deductible. If the new plan is with a different carrier, the carrier will request documentation of the amount of deductible paid under the prior plan. Any costs that have accumulated towards your out-of-pocket maximum for your current health plan, other than deductible, will not be carried over to your new plan. 

Financial help is still based on your individual household income. The amount you and/or your family make yearly will determine how much financial help you will receive. If you are an existing customer, log in to your account and update your application to see the financial help you may qualify for.

All New Jersey residents must go through GetCovered.NJ.gov to receive Marketplace coverage and financial help. You may still receive notifications from Healthcare.gov if you previously had coverage or applied through the federal website. New Jersey now has its own Marketplace, and no longer uses Healthcare.gov. 

Any individual who has received or qualified for unemployment insurance may be eligible for nearly free premiums regardless of their income. If you are an existing customer, log in and update your application to see the savings you may qualify for. If you are a new customer, create a GetCoveredNJ account and fill out an application to view your potential savings. Consumers will be asked to attest to receiving unemployment compensation.

This summer, GetCoveredNJ will automatically update financial help for as many current enrollees as possible to reflect the new federal and state premium reductions without the consumer needing to take any action. This will happen for most current consumers, but it will not be possible to update existing enrollees that fall into certain categories.

NOTE: Current GetCoveredNJ enrollees who have received unemployment compensation in 2021, those who are currently not receiving financial help, and those who have opted to apply only a portion of their financial help to their premium each month, will need to update their application to receive the lower premiums for which they qualify.

For more details, please use our guide on how to access your increased savings.

• Existing Customers

Yes, the federal law has removed any requirement to pay back APTC if you underestimated your income in 2020. Consumers that received APTC through healthcare.gov in 2020 still need to file and reconcile taxes for 2020 as some consumers may receive additional premium tax credit at filing time if income was overestimated. The IRS has stated that it will provide further guidance for those impacted by these changes in the near future and what to do if you have already filed your taxes. As of now, the requirement remains in place for 2021.

GetCoveredNJ does not offer tax advice. For more information please visit www.irs.gov or contact a local tax advisor.

You will need to review your options and make the decision that works best for you and your family. Fully subsidized COBRA plans began April 1st and end on September 30th. GetCoveredNJ does not offer COBRA plans. More information is available from the federal government here: https://www.dol.gov/COBRA-subsidy.

Please Note: You may qualify for nearly free coverage through GetCoveredNJ if you have received unemployment compensation at any point throughout 2021.

Yes. The Open Enrollment Period ran from November 1, 2020 through January 31, 2021. Governor Murphy announced an extension of the enrollment window for New Jerseyans seeking coverage through a COVID-19 Special Enrollment Period through the end of 2021.

No. Residents do not need to be directly impacted by the coronavirus in order to enroll in a plan through the COVID-19 SEP, and no documentation will be required to demonstrate a direct impact of COVID-19. All eligible residents in need of health insurance can enroll.

It depends. No documentation specific to COVID-19 is required for eligible residents to enroll in a plan through the COVID-19 Special Enrollment Period. Coverage will take effect on the first day of the month following a plan selection through the COVID-19 SEP.

Coverage effective dates may vary for SEPs specific to a life-changing event, allowing for an earlier effective date. Additionally, some SEPs specific to a life change require verification documentation.

Certain events, such as having a baby and adopting a child are qualifying life events that provide for SEP enrollment back to the date of the event. Additionally, pregnancy is a new NJ-specific qualifying life event that allows for SEP enrollment back to the month of the confirmed pregnancy. If you need retroactive coverage related to these events, you may apply through the SEP specific to your life event. (Note: Pregnancy, adoption and birth do not require verification documentation).

More information may be found on the When Can I Buy Insurance page. If you have questions, trained certified assisters are available at Find Local Assistance.

Loss of Minimum Essential Coverage requires documentation to verify the loss of coverage and allows 60 days from the event to enroll in a plan. Coverage can start the first of the month after you apply and enroll. If you know you are losing coverage within the next 60 days, you can submit an application on GetCovered.NJ.gov before you lose your coverage to ensure you can stay covered throughout the year. For example, if you know you’ll lose coverage on February 28, and you apply and enroll in plan on February 10, your new coverage will start March 1.

If you lose coverage and become uninsured, you can enroll through the COVID-19 Special Enrollment Period without providing documentation. Your coverage will begin on the first day of the month following your plan selection.

To enroll, visit GetCovered.NJ.gov. Select “2021 COVID-19 Enrollment Period” when submitting your application.

Trained navigators and brokers can help you enroll by phone, virtually, and may have in-person availability. Information may be found on our website under Find Local Assistance. You may also call our Consumer Assistance Center: 1-833-677-1010.

If you are eligible for NJ FamilyCare, the state’s publicly funded low or no cost health insurance program (Medicaid or Children’s Health Insurance Program), you can enroll any time of year.

Yes. The state established a COVID-19 Special Enrollment Period for enrollment in plans available through Get Covered New Jersey and directly from insurance carriers in the individual market. All available plans may be viewed by using our Shop and Compare tool.

Yes. Health insurance companies are required to waive cost-sharing, including lab fees, co-payments, coinsurance, and deductibles for any visit to test for coronavirus at a doctor’s office, urgent care center, or emergency room, and for a coronavirus vaccine. Additionally, if the primary purpose of an office visit is the delivery of the COVID-19 immunization, then insurance companies may not impose cost-sharing requirements for the office visit.

Yes. All eligible New Jerseyans in need of coverage may qualify for this COVID-19 Special Enrollment Period.

Additional information about Special Enrollment Periods may be found on our When Can I Buy Insurance page.

For more information on the coronavirus, including testing and vaccine locations, visit the New Jersey COVID-19 Information Hub at https://covid19.nj.gov/ For vaccine information, you may also call the state’s COVID-19 Vaccine Call Center at 855-568-0545.

New Jersey Department of Health: https://www.nj.gov/health/

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: https://www.cdc.gov/