March 2026

The Arc of New Jersey Health Care Advocacy Program promotes quality health care for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) throughout New Jersey.

Action Reports for Governor Sherrill's Administration

The Sherrill-Caldwell transition Action Teams released their final reports, including recommendations to the administration. The Action Teams were led by New Jersey and national experts and included members with diverse and distinguished experience. Included is the Report of the Affordable Healthcare: Addressing Washington’s Medicaid Cuts Action Team

Click here to access all the reports.

Why Medicaid Patients Nationwide Struggle to Find Doctors

When people on Medicaid look for a doctor, the search often starts with a long list of names that makes health care seem within reach.

But for many patients, that list often turns into a string of dead ends. Phone calls go unanswered. Offices say they aren’t taking new Medicaid patients. Or the earliest appointment is months away. Eventually, people give up.

A new national study led by Oregon Health & Science University researchers helps explain why. The study, published this month in the journal Health Affairs, found that nearly a third of roughly 400,000 physicians enrolled in the safety net program did not see a single Medicaid patient in a given year. Read more.

Families closer to health coverage for adult kids with disabilities

Legislation would compel insurers to continue benefits after age 26 - relief for parents who face losing access to specialized treatments.

NJ parents soon may win guaranteed private health insurance coverage for their adult children with disabilities just as federal Medicaid cuts threaten access to highly specialized care.

At stake is insurance for adult children with disabilities who age out of their parents’ health coverage at 26 years old. Right now, those adults can remain on commercial policies — which can cover very expensive specialized care — so long as a parent doesn’t leave the employer that pays for the bulk of coverage. Read more.

Don’t Ask AI.

Ask Real Experts!

During Brain Awareness Week (March 16–22), the NTG is launching this special initiative. Artificial Intelligence (AI) can provide information — but it cannot replace the insight that comes from lived experience, clinical expertise, and years of working alongside individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

NTG is inviting caregivers, family members, self-advocates, and health professionals to submit their real questions about:

• Brain health
• Aging in intellectual and developmental disabilities
• Dementia
• Caregiver challenges
• Support strategies

NTG experts will select questions and respond to them throughout Brain Awareness Week in a series of educational posts on their social media channels. Your question could help inform and support families, caregivers, and professionals around the world.

Submit your question here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/VNGT79Q

Follow NTG on your favorite platform so you don’t miss the answers.

• Facebook

• Instagram

• LinkedIn

Social Security Joins TEFCA Network to Improve Disability Decision Processing

The Social Security Administration (SSA) joining the Trusted Exchange Framework and Common Agreement (TEFCA) network is intended to improve the efficiency and accuracy of disability determinations by enabling secure access to electronic health information, including records from systems like EPIC and other participating electronic medical record (EMR) platforms.

Here’s what this means for applicants:

1. Access to Electronic Medical Records:

SSA will be able to request and receive electronic health information from participating healthcare providers and EMR systems (such as EPIC) through the TEFCA network. This is designed to streamline the process of obtaining medical evidence for disability claims.

2. Authorization/Release Requirement:

Individuals will still need to sign an authorization or release form. SSA cannot access your medical records without your explicit consent. The process for authorizing release of medical information remains in place, and SSA will request your permission before obtaining records electronically.

3. Applying Without Granting Full Access:

You can still apply for disability benefits even if you do not want SSA to access your entire medical record electronically. However, you will need to provide medical evidence in another way, such as submitting records yourself or authorizing SSA to request specific records from your providers. Not granting access may slow down the process, as SSA will need to obtain records through traditional methods.

Read the press release.

New Streamlined Online Process for Social Security Number Applications

Social Security is launching a "streamlined" online application process. This enhancement enables many customers to complete their applications fully online or begin the process online and schedule an in-office appointment if additional steps are required.

They may ask customers to create or sign in to their personal my Social Security account as part of the application. If a customer is prompted to schedule an appointment with an office to complete the application, they may be directed to an email and password login screen to self-schedule their office visit. Read more.

Tell Congress What's at Stake for People with Disabilities

On March 24, disability advocates from around the country will meet with members of Congress as part of the Disability Policy Seminar Hill Day.

Can’t join in person? You can still participate by sharing your story from home. Your message will be delivered on Hill Day, reaching your representatives when it matters most. Medicaid, public education, and Developmental Disabilities (DD) Act programs shape the everyday lives of people with disabilities. But legislators won’t fully understand the impact of these programs unless they hear directly from the people who rely on them. That’s where you come in. 

Your story can help your members of Congress understand:

• Why these programs matter to you or someone you love 
• What’s working and what still needs to improve  
• What could happen in your life or community if you lose any of these critical services 

Click here to send your story.

EP Magazine Annual Healthcare Issue

EP Magazine’s Annual Healthcare Issue offers a range of articles that explain how to expand access for patients with special needs and their families, which can improve health outcomes as well as quality of life. 



www.epmagazine.com

Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month Contest

March is Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month (DDAM), an opportunity to promote respect for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and to educate others about the abilities people with IDD possess.

Each year, NJSAP hosts a Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month contest. In this year's contest, we asked participants to design a graphic for us to use in our March celebrations! Participants were invited to submit a graphic for the contest fitting the theme: Highlighting Our Abilities.

Congratulations to Maria Santos! Maria has been drawing for decades. She likes to get creative and make her own characters. Maria works at the Starbucks at the Grover Cleveland Service Area. One day Maria wants to go to a university and achieve her degree in journalism.

New NJ FamilyCare Website

The NJ Division of Medical Assistance and Health Services (DMAHS) created a new webpage regarding federal changes to the NJ FamilyCare/Medicaid program as a result of the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act" (OBBBA) which was signed into law in July 2025.

The new webpage highlights the upcoming changes related to this law, including different eligibility requirements for non-citizen immigrants, six month Medicaid renewals, and "community engagement" requirements to qualify for Medicaid.

Private Duty Nursing (PDN) Caregiver Survey

Your voice matters! Your anonymous responses will help create valuable data to share with legislators and policymakers. This information will be used to educate decision-makers on how the current nursing shortage affects the ability of medically fragile children and adults to receive essential care at home. Your input is critical in advocating for the nursing workforce, families, and those who depend on home-based care. Please take the survey by clicking the button below.

The Arc of New Jersey is seeking families who are willing to share their PDN stories, and there is an easy to use template to help make it a simple process to participate. Those interested can email healthcareadvocacy@arcnj.org. The deadline is April 1st.

Toward Continuous and Comprehensive Coverage for Dual Eligibles

For people enrolled in both Medicare and Medicaid, dual eligibility should mean better access, more benefits, and streamlined processes. But the reality is often more disorganized and complicated as the system seems to work against people just trying to access and secure their coverage.

The Medicare Rights Center’s new case study series, Making Medicare and Medicaid Work Better Together, brings together stories from dual eligibles who faced interruptions and interference with their essential care due to inadequate integration across the programs. Each brief features two thematically linked client stories and provides federal and state policy recommendations to improve Medicare–Medicaid coordination. Read more.

Virtual Office Hours

The Health Care Advocacy Program offers virtual office hours on Mondays from 1:00pm to 3:00pm.

Meet with the Director of Health Care Advocacy to discuss healthcare questions or concerns, for example, regarding Medicaid, Medicare, or Social Security, as they affect your family member or loved one with IDD.

Appointments are offered on a first-come, first-served basis and may be limited to 20 minutes, as needed. Please be patient, as the Director will meet with everyone who registers and joins the virtual meeting.

The Arc of New Jersey Health Care Advocacy

healthcareadvocacy@arcnj.org

732-246-2567

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