COVID-19 and Information from the NJ Department of Banking and Insurance

Dear Colleague,

There have been reports in the national news about individuals hospitalized for COVID-19 who have received huge medical bills. There have also been reports about patients who were billed for long-term health problems  after  recovering from the coronavirus. The New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance (DOBI) has disseminated a helpful page of frequently asked questions (FAQs) on COVID-19 and Health Insurance in New Jersey. The FAQs cover the following groups:
  • the state's individual, small and large group markets;
  • the State Health Benefits and School Employee Health Benefit Plans;
  • NJ FamilyCare populations (which includes NJ Medicaid beneficiaries); and
  • those eligible for the Charity Care program.
Please see the FAQs from DOBI for further information:

There have been reports of health insurance companies that did not cover medical conditions, precipitated by the coronavirus, which required treatment weeks or even months after recovery from COVID-19. For post-COVID-19 health problems to be covered by health insurance, it is suggested that when submitting the medical billing, the patient's doctors explicitly link the diagnosis to COVID-19.

Finally, DOBI has disseminated two additional resources for New Jersey residents with health insurance, which may be helpful if they receive bills for COVID-19 care or for other health care problems:
  • Appeal and Complaint Guide for New Jersey Consumers: 

  • Independent Health Care Appeals Program:
This is one of many emails that The Arc of New Jersey is distributing in an effort to help individuals with I/DD, their families, and staff to be safe and healthy throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. To see other emails that The Arc of New Jersey has distributed on this topic, please go to:
Thank you.
Bev

Beverly Roberts
Director, Mainstreaming Medical Care
The Arc of New Jersey
985 Livingston Avenue
North Brunswick, NJ 08902
Direct line and fax:  732.246.2567