Topic Category: Health

It’s Still Time for All Kids Coverage

Posted on by Brittany Holom-Trundy

In 2021, Governor Murphy announced the Cover All Kids initiative, a set of policies and actions aiming to ensure universal health insurance coverage for all New Jerseyans 18 years old and younger. Now, a year later and with budget season underway, lawmakers and advocates must act to make sure the next steps of this initiative are prioritized and fully implemented.

To achieve universal coverage, leaders must identify and actively address all current barriers to health care. At the beginning of the initiative, more than 80,000 New Jersey children remained uninsured. For these children, the main obstacles to coverage included difficulties with the enrollment process, coverage eligibility, and affordability of existing coverage options.

In FY 2022, the Department of Human Services focused on reducing obstacles for the estimated 53,000 uninsured children who were already eligible for coverage through NJ FamilyCare (New Jersey’s program for Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program, or CHIP), but were not enrolled because of the costs of CHIP premiums, a 90-day waiting period for children who were voluntarily removed from employer insurance, or because their families were unaware they were eligible.

These efforts have been successful so far, with an additional 26,000 New Jerseyans under the age of 21 enrolled in NJ FamilyCare since last June. Yet there are still tens of thousands of children still awaiting affordable coverage options, including undocumented children who are currently ineligible for coverage through both NJ FamilyCare and GetCovered NJ (New Jersey’s health insurance marketplace), children whose families are eligible for private health coverage but cannot afford the premiums, and children who face both of these obstacles.

With so many children still facing significant obstacles to coverage, state lawmakers must prioritize funding and implementation for the initiative’s next steps. Governor Murphy’s FY 2023 budget proposes $11 million in funding to expand NJ FamilyCare eligibility to an estimated 16,000 children who are ineligible for NJ FamilyCare due to immigration restrictions, starting January 1, 2023.

This funding promotes a promising investment in children’s health, yet more can still be done to lower barriers to care. With an estimated 36,000 children waiting for affordable health insurance options, the state must prioritize sufficient funding and urgent implementation of the Cover All Kids initiative so all kids have the affordable, high-quality health care they deserve.

Easy Enrollment Would Make Affordable Health Care More Accessible for All

Posted on by Brittany Holom-Trundy

Good afternoon Chairman Danielsen and members of the Committee. Thank you for this opportunity to provide my testimony on the proposed Easy Enrollment program. My name is Dr. Brittany Holom-Trundy, and I am a senior policy analyst at New Jersey Policy Perspective (NJPP). NJPP is a non-partisan, non-profit research institution that focuses on policies that can improve the lives of low- and middle-income people, strengthen our state’s economy, and enhance the quality of life in New Jersey.

NJPP strongly supports the establishment of an Easy Enrollment program for New Jersey. Extensive research has shown that, in addition to affordability, a significant obstacle to lowering uninsured rates lies in the enrollment process itself. A lack of easily accessible resources for many residents means that there are residents who are eligible for affordable care who struggle to enroll. This program would take a regular event in the calendar — the filing of tax forms — and turn it into an opportunity for people to quickly and easily receive information about coverage for which they are eligible, simply by checking a box.

The idea of easing enrollment is not a new approach: we have seen during the COVID-19 pandemic that a pause in disenrollment in Medicaid — resulting in the removal of constant re-enrollment burdens for those who may lose eligibility temporarily or need to switch to new coverage — has helped to lower the number of uninsured New Jerseyans. Additionally, similar, more limited options have existed for decades, including through programs like Express Lane Eligibility for enrolling children in Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program. These programs, when fully addressing the needs of residents, not only reduce obstacles for those residents, but decrease administrative costs where data sharing can eliminate redundant paperwork.

To ensure the program’s efficacy, legislators and administrators should take lessons from successful enrollment experiences in other states — specifically in Maryland, where a similar Easy Enrollment program is already up and running (url listed below for further information). Waiving the shared responsibility payment is a good step to provide an upfront incentive for people to participate. Pre-populated forms, structured follow-up outreach systems that involve feedback and coordination with community organizations, and auto-enrollment for those who qualify for free coverage would further ease the process and limit excessive time requirements for enrollment and verification. Finally, setting a required implementation date would ensure that this program is established in a timely manner.

We hope that the Committee will release this bill today and support the building of this important program.

Thank you for your time.

Link to a brief overview of Maryland’s Easy Enrollment program, mentioned above: https://www.marylandhealthconnection.gov/easyenrollment/

Striking Down Roe v. Wade is a Denial of Human Rights and Basic Freedom

Posted on by Nicole Rodriguez

The Supreme Court has voted to strike down Roe v. Wade, according to a draft court opinion leaked Monday night. The decision, written by Justice Samuel Alito, would end the constitutional right to abortion and allow states to further restrict or ban access to this time-sensitive care. In response to the leaked decision, New Jersey Policy Perspective (NJPP) releases the following statement calling on lawmakers to promote reproductive freedom by removing barriers to abortion care.

Nicole Rodriguez, Research Director, NJPP:

“The Supreme Court striking down Roe v. Wade is a denial of human rights and basic freedom. Now it’s up to Congress to codify the right to abortion — and for states to do everything in their power to protect and expand access to this time-sensitive care.

“We are fortunate to have abortion rights codified in state law here in New Jersey, but rights alone are not enough, especially for those for whom health care is too expensive and out-of-reach. State lawmakers should meet this pivotal moment by removing all remaining barriers to abortion so everyone — regardless of their health insurance or income — can access this medical care with dignity.”

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Essential Workers, Advocates, and Policy Experts Urge Lawmakers to Spend American Rescue Plan Funds on Direct Relief for Working Families

Posted on by NJPP Staff

With more than $3 billion remaining in federal pandemic assistance — and no hearings planned on how to spend these funds — advocates and policy experts held a virtual “People’s Hearing” for members of the public to weigh in on how the federal relief should be used.

“Lawmakers may have said they’re finished with budget hearings after this week, but today’s People’s Hearing sends a clear message: New Jerseyans aren’t finished speaking up for what our communities deserve,” said Amy Torres, moderator of the virtual hearing and Executive Director of the New Jersey Alliance for Immigrant Justice.

The virtual hearing, organized by the For The Many NJ coalition, included testimony from essential workers, community leaders, advocates, and policy experts in support of using the federal funds to provide direct relief and support to families struggling to keep up with everyday costs.

“To advance racial equity and help the people still getting back on their feet from the pandemic, New Jersey should spend its flexible federal recovery funds on their intended purpose: direct relief,” said Peter Chen, Senior Policy Analyst at New Jersey Policy Perspective (NJPP). “Direct relief is itself a transformational investment. Helping people avoid poverty, homelessness, and deprivation reduces pain right now but also builds resiliency for the future.”

Signed into law in March 2021, the American Rescue Plan (ARP) provided billions of dollars in flexible funding for states and local governments to begin reversing the harms done by the pandemic and promote an equitable economic recovery. New Jersey state government received $6.2 billion in flexible aid, more than $3 billion of which is still available.

“New Jersey should not squander this opportunity. As state policymakers consider how to use more than $3 billion in remaining Fiscal Recovery Funds, they should work with communities to identify the best ways to use these funds,” said Ed Lazere, Senior Fellow in State Fiscal Policy, The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. “The economic recovery remains uneven and incomplete, with many still struggling with incomes that are not enough to pay rent or afford food.”

Residents from across the state joined the hearing to share their stories and encourage lawmakers to provide more relief to families struggling to keep a roof over their heads and food on the table.

“The impact of the pandemic is not over for many who were already struggling in our state,” said Wandalynn Miftahi, a member of the Anti-Poverty Networks Garden State Leaders program who is unable to afford housing on her own. “Mature people who are viable parts of their communities and striving to assist future generations look forward to a more positive, supportive community to live in. With high and rising housing costs, New Jersey must devote more to help people of color access and maintain safe, affordable homes. We must remember everything starts at home.”

The hearing served as a reminder that the pandemic is not over, with many families still living in poverty: 1 in 10 families in New Jersey are currently having trouble finding enough to eat, a third of renters are worried they’ll be evicted in the next two months.

“Between COVID and the current economy, the low- and moderate-income families continue to struggle to pay for basic living expenses,” said Susan Biegen, another member of the Garden State Leaders program. “The Emergency Rental Assistance Program has not been able to keep up with the need with many families being told there is no funding left. American Rescue Plan funds would best be used by providing back rent, utilities, and food assistance so families won’t have to worry about eviction and hunger.”

Some lawmakers have suggested using federal assistance to provide tax cuts to profitable businesses despite a clear need to make the state more affordable for low- and moderate-income families.

“To make New Jersey more affordable for our low- and moderate-income families we must prioritize state revenues and American Rescue Plan funds to increase supports for families in deep poverty, allocate sufficient funds to keep people in their homes, expand health coverage to all kids and uninsured residents, and establish a state child and earned income tax credit,” said Maura Collinsgru, Director of Policy and Advocacy, New Jersey Citizen Action. “These programs will help ensure residents most impacted by the pandemic and rising inflation can not only survive, but thrive.”

Immigrant community members joined the virtual hearing to urge lawmakers to provide further relief to residents excluded from most forms of federal and state assistance — and for the state to invest in language access so all residents can apply for programs and services they already qualify for.

“Two years into the pandemic, there still are more than a half million people left behind from all forms of relief,” said Aida Mucha, Member Leader with Make the Road New Jersey. “It’s a disgrace that half of New Jersey’s federal ARP fiscal recovery funds are still sitting unused and unallocated when families like mine are struggling to pay bills. I worked throughout the pandemic to deliver food to families in quarantine, but I was excluded from aid like so many immigrant essential workers. I urge the state to take action now to provide direct relief to excluded workers.”

“Nearly one in two New Jerseyans is a person of color and almost a quarter of us are foreign born,” said Laura Bustamante, Policy & Campaign Manager, New Jersey Alliance for Immigrant Justice. “New Jerseyans speak over 155 languages, one in four households speaks a non-English language at home. With the recent increase in access to status neutral services and programs, newly eligible New Jerseyans are facing linguistic barriers, leaving these landmark initiatives inaccessible. Beyond that racial and ethnic categories currently used in agencies that capture demographic information are overly generalized, rendering distinct populations invisible. If the State is looking to make wise use of the dollars it invests in public programs, language access and data disaggregation will be necessary tools. ”

The pandemic and resulting economic fallout has disproportionately harmed Black and Latinx/Hispanic communities. Policy experts and advocates testified at the hearing in support of targeting aid to these communities to begin reversing racial inequities.

“Before New Jersey can become stronger, fairer and a more affordable state, there must be a commitment to equity and justice,” said Racquel Romans-Henry, Director of Policy at Salvation and Social Justice. “That commitment begins with but is not limited to significant investments in the development of violence interruption, harm reduction and restorative justice hubs; investments in neighborhood maternal health centers; community reinvestment of cannabis revenue; and funding the Office of Legislative Services so that they may prepare racial impact statements for policy changes that affect pretrial detention, sentencing and parole as required by S677 passed in 2018.”

“For the many students in our school who have seen pre-pandemic inequities impact their education at an even greater level, it is important that the state act now and accelerated addressing these challenges,” said Kaleena Berryman, convener of Our Children/Our Schools. “Funds should be allocated for student and educator mental health, building health and safety upgrades, and a concentrated approach to ensure students with disabilities and English language learners receive the extra support needed due to months of lost time. To make this happen, the state must also concentrate of fully staffing the Department of Education.”

“The impacts of the pandemic are still being felt by our schoolchildren and their teachers, especially in lower-income communities,” said Greg Stankiewicz, Statewide Coordinator, NJ Community Schools Coalition. “We urge the Governor and Legislature to allocate $10 million in American Rescue Plan funds to support expanding community school approaches to more low-income public schools, helping nonprofits and universities work together with school districts to provide additional needed services to students and families.”

“As Dickens wrote, we are living in the best of times and the worst of times for our state budget,” said Doug O’Malley, Director, Environment New Jersey. “We have a historically flush budget with an ample surplus as well as an additional $3 billion in reserve through the American Rescue Plan. Unfortunately, we still see ongoing raids to NJ Transit’s capital budget and the state Clean Energy Fund and flat funding to state agencies, as well as lead service lines and water infrastructure that need to be replaced. This is the moment to invest in our environment, clean energy and public health and make historic investments — and give the public a chance to weigh in on this opportunity.”

“New Jersey should not squander this opportunity. As state policymakers consider how to use more than $3 billion in remaining Fiscal Recovery Funds, they should work with communities to identify the best ways to use these funds,” added Ed Lazere of the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. “The economic recovery remains uneven and incomplete, with many still struggling with incomes that are not enough to pay rent or afford food.”

Watch a recording of the virtual hearing here.

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Prescription Drug Affordability Board Would Help Lower Prescription Drug Costs

Posted on by Brittany Holom-Trundy

Good morning Senator Vitale and members of the Committee. Thank you for this opportunity to provide my testimony on the proposed establishment of a Prescription Drug Affordability Board. My name is Dr. Brittany Holom-Trundy, and I am a senior policy analyst at New Jersey Policy Perspective (NJPP). NJPP is a non-partisan, non-profit research institution that focuses on policies that can improve the lives of low- and middle-income people, strengthen our state’s economy, and enhance the quality of life in New Jersey.

NJPP supports S329, as it looks to provide evidence-based answers to a long-standing health care issue: high prescription drug costs that make even available medicine unaffordable for many New Jerseyans. The bill establishes an independent Prescription Drug Affordability Board, supported by sufficient funding, that will provide insight into the root causes of these high prices, and propose recommendations to address them.

I wanted to highlight two important aspects of the bill today which are often misread:

First, this bill as written fully incorporates the involvement of the Legislature in any further actions. The Board would provide their recommendations for policy changes (covering a variety of policy options) after a series of reports, but the step of approval of the recommendations would be left to the Legislature (this can be seen in subsection c of section 9, on page 12, line 33). The Legislature would then have the data to better evaluate the proposed policies in debate, and legislation would be required to move those proposals forward. We know that data helps inform those debates, particularly on health care costs, so setting this aside would simply prolong an issue. Additionally, we believe that the reports and data collected and shared by the Board would be helpful for the work of the Office of Health Care Affordability and Transparency, which has a much broader agenda in addressing health care costs and will benefit from focused studies.

Second, not only will the Board be able to provide guidance on savings and a variety of policy options, but it will do so with data from all stakeholders. Relevant actors, from pharmaceutical companies to consumers, will have the opportunity to provide their perspective and data on their role and the impact of drug pricing, including spending on research and innovation. The Board will take this information into account as they consider the recommended policies and plans.

As the country grapples with drug prices that are, on average, over 2.5 times those in other countries, several other states — including Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Ohio, Colorado, and Oregon — have already passed legislation on similar drug affordability boards. With 88 percent of New Jerseyans across party lines supporting this valuable work (see survey sources below for further details), there is no reason to let New Jersey fall behind these states in seeking solutions for its residents. Now is the time to make this investment in New Jerseyans’ health. We hope that the Committee will agree and release this bill today.

Thank you for your time.

Survey Sources:
Altarum Healthcare Value Hub New Jersey survey, August 2020
https://www.healthcarevaluehub.org/application/files/9815/9716/3875/Hub-Altarum_Data_Brief_No._69_-_New_Jersey_High_Drug_Prices.pdf

AARP 2020 NJ Residents 18-Plus Prescription Drug Study
https://www.aarp.org/content/dam/aarp/research/surveys_statistics/health/2020/new-jersey-prescription-drug-prices-survey-fact-sheet.10.26419-2Fres.00424.001.pdf

 

Adjusting Work First New Jersey Eligibility Would Help Tackle Child Poverty

Posted on by Brittany Holom-Trundy

Good afternoon Chairman Freiman and members of the Committee. Thank you for this opportunity to provide my testimony on the proposed Work First New Jersey (WFNJ) reform. My name is Dr. Brittany Holom-Trundy, and I am a senior policy analyst at New Jersey Policy Perspective (NJPP). NJPP is a non-partisan, non-profit research institution that focuses on policies that can improve the lives of low- and middle-income people, strengthen our state’s economy, and enhance the quality of life in New Jersey.

NJPP supports the changes to initial maximum allowable income eligibility levels proposed in A2367. We believe this is a good step toward a WFNJ that more effectively tackles childhood poverty, helps support low-income families, and builds a stronger future for the state. We also strongly support combining this reform with a comprehensive WFNJ package to move the program away from its racist history and toward a future in which it truly works for Garden State families.

As NJPP’s research has shown, WFNJ serves as a critical bridge to stability for parents and children living in poverty.[i] This is particularly true for Black and Hispanic/Latinx families, who are overrepresented amongst low-income communities. Year-over-year changes reported throughout the COVID-19 pandemic have continued to emphasize how essential this lifeline is, especially for single-parent families. The experiences of the past two years have only increased the urgency of improving WFNJ to meet today’s economic and social realities.

WFNJ should not only serve as many families as possible, but also fully support participating families. Yet the racist history of the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program means that WFNJ continues to fall short in providing sufficient support to families seeking to escape the cycle of poverty. With this in mind, we hope that Assembly members will consider, in addition to the proposed reform in A2367, other aspects of comprehensive Work First New Jersey reform, including:

  • Increasing the monthly grant (benefit) amount to at least 50% FPL and with automatic cost of living adjustments
  • Eliminating the barriers to participation for individuals taking college classes to receive support through General Assistance
  • Improving the off-ramp for families so that the program does not have such severe cliffs, which immediately put families back in difficult positions
  • Aligning asset rules with other social safety net programs
  • Modifying sanction rules to protect children when parents are struggling
  • Adjusting program language to eliminate bias
  • Adjusting time limits to account for the unprecedented crisis of the COVID-19 pandemic
  • Codifying changes introduced through previous budget legislation that allowed for greater support through services such as enhanced case management and greater child support pass-through

 

We hope that the committee will advance this reform today and move to modernize Work First New Jersey with a comprehensive package of reforms. Now more than ever New Jersey’s parents and children need our state leaders’ solid commitments to their well-being and a brighter future.

Thank you for your time.

End Notes

[i] New Jersey Policy Perspective, Promoting Equal Opportunities for Children Living in Poverty, 2020, https://www.njpp.org/publications/report/promoting-equal-opportunities-for-children-living-in-poverty/

Easy Enrollment Would Help Lower Uninsured Rates in New Jersey

Posted on by Brittany Holom-Trundy

Good afternoon Chairman McKeon and members of the Committee. Thank you for this opportunity to provide my testimony on the proposed Easy Enrollment program. My name is Dr. Brittany Holom-Trundy, and I am a senior policy analyst at New Jersey Policy Perspective (NJPP). NJPP is a non-partisan, non-profit research institution that focuses on policies that can improve the lives of low- and middle-income people, strengthen our state’s economy, and enhance the quality of life in New Jersey.

NJPP strongly supports the establishment of an Easy Enrollment program for New Jersey. Research has shown that, in addition to affordability, a significant obstacle to lowering uninsured rates lies in the enrollment process itself. A lack of easily accessible resources for many residents, including people who do not speak English as their first language, who do not have access to a computer or may encounter difficulties using a computer, or who struggle with hourly wages and child care and do not have the time to invest in finding sources, means that there are residents who are eligible for affordable care who struggle to enroll. This program would take a regular event in the calendar — the filing of tax forms — and turn it into an opportunity for people to quickly and easily receive information about coverage for which they are eligible, simply by checking a box.

The idea of easing enrollment is not a new approach: we have seen during the COVID-19 pandemic that a pause in disenrollment in Medicaid — resulting in the removal of constant re-enrollment burdens for those who may lose eligibility temporarily or need to switch to new coverage — has helped to lower the number of uninsured New Jerseyans. Additionally, similar, more limited options have existed for decades, including through programs like Express Lane Eligibility for enrolling children in Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program. These programs, when fully addressing the needs of residents, not only reduce obstacles for those residents, but decrease administrative costs where data sharing can eliminate redundant paperwork.

To ensure the program’s efficacy and that it meets residents’ realities, we should take lessons from successful enrollment experiences in other states — specifically in Maryland, where a similar Easy Enrollment program is already up and running. Waiving the shared responsibility payment is a good step to provide an upfront incentive for people to participate. Pre-populated forms, structured follow-up outreach systems, and auto-enrollment for those who qualify for free coverage would further ease the process and limit excessive time requirements for enrollment and verification.

We hope that the Committee will release this bill today and support the building of this important program.

Thank you for your time.

Link to a brief overview of Maryland’s Easy Enrollment program, mentioned above: https://www.marylandhealthconnection.gov/easyenrollment/

Passage of Abortion Rights Bill Sends Clear Message to Rest of Nation

Posted on by Sheila Reynertson

Both houses of the Legislature today passed S49/A6260, codifying the constitutional right to reproductive autonomy, which includes the right to contraception, abortion, and to carry a pregnancy to term for everyone present in New Jersey. In response, New Jersey Policy Perspective (NJPP) released the following statement.

Sheila Reynertson, Senior Policy Analyst, NJPP:

“With reproductive autonomy and rights on the line in the U.S. Supreme Court, New Jersey just sent a clear message to the country that our state values the protection of abortion rights.

“More meaningful reform is needed, though, so that everyone has access to this time-sensitive care, regardless of their income or immigration status.

“The reality is that, ever since Roe v. Wade was decided, abortion care has been out of reach for far too many people in New Jersey. Those without any insurance or with inadequate insurance still need help paying for a procedure they might not be able to afford, including travel costs or covering high co-pays.

“We look forward to working with the administration to improve access and equity in reproductive health care in ways that uphold abortion rights — and improve the autonomy, well-being, and economic security — of everyone facing an unplanned pregnancy.”

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Prescription Drug Affordability Board Would Help Lower Prescription Drug Prices

Posted on by Brittany Holom-Trundy

Good morning Chairman Burzichelli and members of the Committee. Thank you for this opportunity to provide my testimony on the proposed investment in a Prescription Drug Affordability Board. My name is Dr. Brittany Holom-Trundy, and I am a senior policy analyst at New Jersey Policy Perspective (NJPP). NJPP is a non-partisan, non-profit research institution that focuses on policies that can improve the lives of low- and middle-income people, strengthen our state’s economy, and enhance the quality of life in New Jersey.

NJPP supports A2418, as it looks to address a long-standing issue in the health care sector: the problem of information asymmetry. As a researcher and advocate for better data collection methods and greater transparency, I can confirm that the black box — the paucity of publicly available, independently-analyzed information — on pharmaceuticals stands as the biggest obstacle to taking action when it comes to prescription drug costs. Without knowledge of the problem, there can be no solution. A lack of data provides a path for excuses and continuous passing of the buck amongst actors in the fragmented health system.

An independent Prescription Drug Affordability Board as proposed will take up the task of this information issue, provide insight into the root causes of high prescription drug prices, and propose recommendations to address them. This valuable work, which is supported by 88 percent of New Jerseyans across party lines, will help to lower the cost of living in the Garden State and cut the number of taxpayer dollars in the state budget having to go toward prescription drugs through state health plans. It will make each dollar spent count for more. For this reason, it is crucial to release this bill and ensure that it includes the $1 million investment in the Board’s work originally allocated through the Senate bill (S1066).

As the country grapples with drug prices that are, on average, over 2.5 times those in other countries, six other states — Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Ohio, Colorado, and Oregon — have already passed legislation on similar drug affordability boards. There is no reason to let New Jersey fall behind these states in seeking solutions for its residents. There is no reason to continue to walk blindly, hoping that the issue will fix itself. There is every reason to make this investment in New Jerseyans’ health. We hope that the Committee will agree and release this bill today.

Thank you for your time.

New Jersey Should Prioritize the Health of Kids and Families in the FY 2023 Budget

Posted on by Brittany Holom-Trundy

Good morning, Acting Commissioner and DHS team. Thank you for this opportunity to provide my testimony on the FY2023 budget for the Department of Human Services. My name is Dr. Brittany Holom-Trundy, and I am a senior policy analyst at New Jersey Policy Perspective (NJPP). NJPP is a non-partisan, non-profit research institution that focuses on policies that can improve the lives of low- and middle-income people, strengthen our state’s economy, and enhance the quality of life in New Jersey.

The Department of Human Services has led the way in providing security for New Jersey residents throughout the pandemic. The policies passed, expansions of coverage and outreach, and programs initiated have helped to increase food security, better protect maternal health, help families maintain access to child care, and improve home- and community-based services, just to name a few. Today, I am here to highlight three priorities for the department to consider when building on these advancements.

Cover All Kids Implementation
With the passage of the Cover All Kids legislation, the opportunity for achieving universal health coverage for New Jersey children is finally within reach. The Department’s support of this initiative has been key to its success. NJPP urges DHS to continue this commitment by investing at least $20 million in the expansion of coverage to undocumented children as planned for July 2022 and for the broader expansion of coverage options through NJ FamilyCare Advantage. Key to this process will be ensuring that all newly eligible children receive the same benefits at the same cost as those children who are eligible now, as well as finding new methods of outreach to ensure all families have access to information through reliable, trusted sources. A $20 million investment should provide sufficient support for estimated first-year enrollment for undocumented children, as well as provide an increase in funding for outreach for these harder-to-reach populations.

TANF
Beyond health insurance, providing support to escape deep poverty is key to children’s and family health. NJPP encourages the Department to consider how to improve the TANF program to better provide this support and move TANF beyond its racist history. By investing $27 million, the Department can help to gradually increase the monthly grant amount to at least 50 percent of the federal poverty level, reduce work hour requirements to better meet families’ realities, eliminate barriers for documented immigrants, and ensure that children and parents are lifted out of deep poverty.

Child Care
NJDHS has been at the forefront of ensuring support for the child care system during the public health emergency, with substantial financial support for child care providers and families. NJPP urges the department to continue or expand some of these successful program changes, including paying child care subsidy providers by enrollment, not by attendance. Child care providers need stability in subsidy payments, and a long-term solution to ensure pay-by-enrollment is critical to the health of the child care system.

The pandemic has highlighted long-standing issues in the child care system, including low staff salaries, lack of infant-toddler care access, and insufficient data systems. Each of these areas will require creative solutions and judicious usage of federal and state funds to support staff hiring and retention, encourage the development of infant-toddler care supply in “child care deserts” and build more robust DHS data infrastructure.

Food Security, Home- and Community-Based Services, Harm Reduction, and More
With the aforementioned priorities, as well as continued long-term investments and improvements in SNAP, Home- and Community-Based Services, harm reduction, and support for New Jersey’s immigrant communities, the Department can ensure that the Garden State continues to be a place where all families can live their best lives.

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