In NJ Spotlight News: "Affordable Care or a Loan?"
I have an op-ed in NJ Spotlight News in support of a pending bill, A1023/S885, that would end Medicaid Estate Recovery pursued against enrollees in NJ FamilyCare (the state Medicaid program) who do not receive long-term care. The problem:
Unfortunately, in New Jersey — as in 19 other states and Washington, D.C. — efforts to make affordable coverage available to all come with a giant asterisk.
Applicants seeking health coverage on GetCoveredNJ, the state ACA exchange launched last fall, are routed either to the private plan marketplace or, if their family income is below 138% of the FPL (federal poverty level) — which is $1,482 for an individual, $3,048 for a family of four — to NJ FamilyCare, the state Medicaid program. If income qualifies an applicant for the latter, she must sign off on this disclosure:
“I acknowledge notice that the Division of Medical Assistance and Health Services (DMAHS) has the authority to file a claim and lien against the estate of a deceased Medicaid beneficiary, or former beneficiary, to recover all Medicaid payments for services received on or after age 55….”
About 170,000 current enrollees in NJ FamilyCare are over age 55. All are potentially subject to estate recovery after their death and the death of their spouse, if there are no children under age 21.
I hope you'll read the case to end this fundamental undermining of the promise inherent in the ACA's name.