Health Care Reform Resource Center | Hackensack Meridian Health   

Health Care Reform Resource Center

Open Enrollment Ends January 31, 2022

Having trouble finding health insurance that fits your needs and your budget? Look no further than GetCovered.NJ.gov.

All plans in the New Jersey Health Insurance Marketplace cover essential health benefits, pre-existing conditions, and more. To find the latest, most accurate, information about the New Jersey’s Health Insurance Marketplace visit GetCovered.NJ.gov. At this website, you can learn how the Marketplace works, who can apply for insurance, how to get insurance, how to lower your costs, how to get assistance from local application counselors and navigators, and more. When you’re ready to apply and enroll in a health plan, GetCovered.NJ.gov is the place for that, too!

No matter where you live, you may be able to buy insurance from private health plans that cover a comprehensive set of benefits, including doctor visits, hospital stays, preventive care, and prescriptions – and plans in the Marketplace must treat you fairly—they can’t deny you coverage because of a pre-existing condition. With a single application, you’ll also find out if you qualify for NJ Family Care, the Children’s Health Insurance Program, or savings you can use right away to lower your health insurance premiums.

Through these products, members who use the services of a Hackensack Meridian Health hospital will incur the lowest out of pocket costs.

Want help or need more information?

If you have questions about what the New Jersey Health Insurance Marketplace offers, visit GetCovered.NJ.gov or call 1-833-677-1010, to speak with a trained customer service representative. Tell the customer service representative if you need help in a language other than English.

Hackensack Meridian Health is Here to Help

Hackensack Meridian Health is holding open enrollment sessions for the 2022 Get Covered NJ Marketplace. If you have questions or need assistance selecting an insurance plan, register for an appointment with a certified application counselor by calling 732-902-7080 for dates and times in Middlesex, Monmouth, and Ocean Counties.

Staying Covered for 2022

If you bought a health insurance plan through the Marketplace in 2021, you can renew your current plan or enroll in a different plan for 2022, please visit GetCovered.NJ.gov.

What You Need to Know about New Jersey’s Insurance Marketplace, Get Covered NJ

October 30, 2018
By Tara Rosenberg, CHAA – Updated 11/09/21

Choosing an insurance plan can be tricky. If you don’t have health insurance through your job, Medicare, Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), or another source, you can get coverage through New Jersey’s Marketplace. Before you start looking for a plan, there are some misconceptions about the health insurance Marketplace that could get you off track.

Common New Jersey Marketplace Misconceptions

  1. The Marketplace has been Eliminated: The Affordable Care Act (ACA) has not been repealed or replaced. We are now on a state-based Marketplace platform called Get Covered NJ. Open enrollment period is now longer, you now have three months to select your 2022 coverage. Open enrollment begins November 1, 2021 and ends January 31, 2022.
  2. The Tax Penalty no Longer Exists: For those in New Jersey, the answer is yes and no. There is no federal tax penalty if you do not have health insurance. But there is a state tax penalty for being uninsured in New Jersey. The state penalties will run at approximately the same rate as the old federal tax penalty. In the end, you will be taxed if you are a resident of New Jersey and do not have health insurance.
  3. The Marketplace is Expensive and Unaffordable: Good news for New Jersey residents – premiums are expected to drop up to 15% compared to previous enrollment years. In addition, you can get a tax credit that will actually help pay your premiums. New Jersey is offering additional savings for consumers who qualify for the Advanced Premium Tax Credit. This additional credit is called New Jersey Health Plan Savings Premium Reduction (NJHPSP). Also remember that everyone’s health insurance quote is personal to them, taking into account a person’s income, family size, age, place of residence and tobacco use.

    One of Hackensack Meridian Health’s certified application counselors can help you determine if you qualify for tax credits. Call 732-902-7080 to schedule an appointment.

  4. I Won’t Qualify for Tax Credits because of my Gross Income: It’s common for applicants to incorrectly enter their gross income. You can deduct a number of expenses from your gross income which can help you qualify for tax credit, including:
    • Alimony payments
    • Retirement contributions
    • Student loan interest
    • Tuition costs
    • Educator expenses
    • Moving expenses


    • Also there are several items that you don’t have to include in your gross income calculation:
    • Child support
    • Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
    • Veteran’s disability
    • Proceeds from loans (i.e.: student loans, bank loans, home equity loans)
  5. No Doctors Accept Marketplace Plans: To see who accepts what plans, you can type your doctor’s name or their practice name as well as your prescriptions on GetCoveredNJ.gov. The Marketplace website will show you which providers and prescriptions each insurance plans covers. If your spouse has different needs, you can each purchase different plans.
  6. My Premium Price will Never Change: If you experience any life changing events in 2022, you can notify Get Covered NJ by calling or updating it in the system 60 days prior to or after the event. Your premium can actually be lowered if your income decreases, family size increases, experience death, and, sometimes, if you move.

Next Steps & Resources:

  • Hackensack Meridian Health is holding open enrollment sessions for Get Covered NJ 2022. If you have questions or need assistance selecting an insurance plan, register for an appointment with a certified application counselor by calling 732-902-7080.

Tara Rosenberg, CHAA is a financial assistance navigator at Hackensack Meridian Health.

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