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March 22, 2023 | Issue 70 (View newsletter as webpage) Para leer este boletín en Español, haga clic aquí

Important News

NJ FamilyCare logo

Important New Medicaid Eligibility Rules Beginning April 1


Since March of 2020, NJ FamilyCare/Medicaid has followed special rules related to the federal COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE). These rules have allowed most NJ FamilyCare/Medicaid members to keep their health coverage, even if they no longer qualified – for example, if their income was too high.

 

There are new Medicaid rules beginning April 1, 2023 and NJ FamilyCare will begin its eligibility determination process. We could see the first wave of disenrollments in Medicaid starting May 1, 2023. It is estimated that over 350,000 people may be losing coverage.


States have 12 months after the April 1 re-start date to initiate eligibility renewals for all Medicaid beneficiaries, including more than 2 million NJ FamilyCare members. There are also new rules from Congress about eligibility and outreach. This “unwinding” represents the single largest renewal exercise

in the history of New Jersey’s Medicaid program.

 

This means that:

  • All members enrolled in an NJ FamilyCare program will be reviewed to see if they still qualify for coverage.
  • Many members will receive mail from the State of New Jersey or their County Board of Social Services as part of the review.
  • Members will have to confirm or provide additional nformation so NJ FamilyCare/Medicaid can decide whether they still qualify for healthcare coverage.
  • Members who do not respond to NJ FamilyCare/Medicaid mail may lose their coverage.

 

Important steps to take now include:

  • Confirm or update your contact information by calling NJ FamilyCare at 1-800-701-0710 (TTY: 711)
  • Look for and respond to mail from the State of New Jersey or the local County Board of Social Services.
  • If NJ FamilyCare requests information, respond right away to avoid a gap in NJ FamilyCare coverage.

 

Note: People who no longer qualify for NJ FamilyCare may be able to get Health coverage through GetCoveredNJ, the state's official health insurance marketplace. 

GetCoveredNJ offers immediate eligibility results and lets people know if they can get help lowering the cost of their monthly premiums.

 

Visit StayCovered NJ website for more information and tools

Resources

Decorative image of Black parents with two young children.

Black Maternal Health Week 2023

Founded and led by the Black Mamas Matter Alliance, Black Maternal Health Week will be recognized from April 10 - April 17, 2023.


Throughout this important week, Nurture NJ plans to amplify the voices of Black leaders addressing New Jersey’s maternal and infant health crisis. 


The office of New Jersey First Lady Tammy Murphy is creating a calendar of events being held for Black Maternal Health Week - April 11 - 17, 2023.


The calendar will be shared with all Nurture NJ partners so we can all elevate Black mothers and honor those working to make our state the safest and most equitable place in the nation to raise a baby.


Submit events that are open to the public and take place between April 10th - 21st by Saturday April 1st.



Complete the Form here

Strategies for

Engaging Families

Your Input is Needed!

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Family Voices National is creating resources about vaccines for families of children with special health care needs(CYSHCN) and disabilities.


They have developed a brief survey in English and Spanish to gather ideas about the best strategies for engaging CYSHCN and disabilities and their families.


Family opinions and ideas about vaccines shared in the survey will ensure that the resources are helpful to all families.


Complete English Survey Here


Complete Spanish Survey Here


Note: Your responses are private. They will not report your name or any identifying information.

Upcoming Events


SPAN offers a variety of learning opportunities for families and the professionals who work with them.


Highlighted Event This Week

Spanish Family Healthcare Transition Toolkit Image

Spanish Language Family Healthcare Transition Toolkit & Webinar


Got Transition and its National Family Advisory Group, with extensive input from a Family Voices workgroup of Spanish-speaking parent leaders, have developed a toolkit for families to use to guide their youth’s transition from pediatric to adult health care.


The Family Toolkit includes easy-to-use resources in Spanish for youth and families to help youth assume more independence in taking care of their own health and using health services. Materials include a transition timeline, questions to ask your doctor, what turning 18 means for one’s health, and more!


Got Transition and Family Voices will host a webinar in Spanish, with simultaneous English interpretation, on March 29th at 4pm ET/AST to discuss the toolkit.


Register for the webinar here.

See all of SPAN's upcoming events with details and registration links here 

Para recibir la edición en Español de este boletín semanalmente en su correo electrónico 

haga clic aquí para suscribirse
SPAN Youth Hub image

Nutrition Matters

Did you know that your stomach is known as the second brain? Find out why in our latest blog post, "Nutrition Matters," to see how eating habits and foods can benefit or affect your mental and physical health.


Click here to read the blog

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