Most noncitizen members remain eligible, state officials say. Residents losing coverage can seek a marketplace plan by Sept. 30 for an Oct. 1 start date.
MORRISTOWN, NJ – As many as 25,000 legal immigrants in New Jersey could lose Medicaid coverage on Oct. 1, state officials told the New Jersey Monitor in a Sept. 21 report. The approaching change makes this a consequential week for residents who received notices asking them to document their immigration status or warning that their health coverage will end.
The change affects eligibility for NJ FamilyCare, New Jersey’s Medicaid program, under new federal requirements. The estimate describes people whose coverage is at risk; it is not a confirmed count of people already removed from the program.
Human Services Commissioner Stephen Cha told the Monitor that noncitizen members should not assume they are losing insurance. Greg Woods, who leads the state’s Medicaid program, urged people to return requested documents even with the deadline approaching.
The state’s eligibility guidance says most noncitizen members will not be affected. Protected categories include children under 19 regardless of immigration status, lawfully present people under 21, lawfully present pregnant people and many lawful permanent residents.
The rules distinguish among immigration categories and, in some cases, how long a person has held a qualifying status. Refugees, asylees and certain other humanitarian groups who have adjusted to lawful permanent resident status may remain eligible without the usual five-year wait. Some people in those categories who have not obtained permanent residency may lose eligibility.
For households receiving paperwork, the immediate issue is whether NJ FamilyCare has the documents needed to make that determination. The state directs members to submit copies through the secure VerifyOS portal using the reference number on their letter and their date of birth. Help is available at 833-635-7060, with TTY 711.
The state’s sample final termination notice says members who have not established a qualifying status may still submit proof. It also warns that a later eligibility determination can leave a gap in coverage. A recipient who wants to challenge a termination should follow the fair-hearing instructions supplied with the individual notice.
Residents who are no longer eligible may have another route through Get Covered New Jersey, the state’s health insurance marketplace. Its current enrollment guidance says people notified that they are losing NJ FamilyCare can select the loss of that coverage as the reason for a special enrollment period.
Enrollment by Sept. 30 can provide coverage beginning Oct. 1. Depending on eligibility, financial assistance may reduce premiums and out-of-pocket expenses for the rest of 2026. Marketplace enrollment assistance is available at 833-677-1010.
That assistance requires another look before the new year. Get Covered New Jersey says federal financial help will become unavailable to some immigration categories beginning Jan. 1, 2027, even if those residents receive help this fall. Households should review the cost and eligibility notices for both coverage periods.
For help understanding eligibility or documenting immigration status, the state’s termination notice also directs residents to Legal Services of New Jersey’s HealthLine, 833-576-5776.