New Jersey Citizen Action released the following statement today in response to the New Jersey Legislature’s passage of S3807/A5499, which would establish a state-based health care exchange. The legislation allows New Jersey to begin the process of creating an exchange and completing an application for submission to the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. An application must be submitted by August 1st for a New Jersey-based health exchange to be set up by 2020.

“Establishing a state health exchange is one of the most effective ways to protect New Jersey residents from the Trump administration’s unrelenting assault on the Affordable Care Act,” said Maura Collinsgru, Health Care Program Director for New Jersey Citizen Action.  “It means many more state residents will be able to find ACA health plans that work best for them and their families. We thank Senate President Sweeney, Assembly Speaker Coughlin and Governor Murphy for coming together on legislation that will benefit all New Jersey in time to meet the required federal deadlines. We also thank the many New Jersey residents who contacted their elected representatives and fought to make the state health exchange a reality.”