New Jersey expects 15,000 to 25,000 noncitizen residents to lose NJ FamilyCare coverage as a federal Medicaid eligibility change takes effect October 1, according to state data reported by KFF Health News. The immediate issue for affected members is whether New Jersey has verified that they remain eligible—or has issued a final notice ending coverage after September 30.
The state’s eligibility guide says most noncitizen immigrants enrolled in NJ FamilyCare will not be affected. Children younger than 19, lawfully present people under 21, pregnant people, Cuban and Haitian entrants, migrants covered by Compacts of Free Association and many lawful permanent residents may continue to qualify, subject to the program’s other rules.
Some previously eligible groups are excluded
The change narrows Medicaid eligibility for several categories of lawfully present adults who have not adjusted to lawful permanent resident status. New Jersey lists refugees, asylees, trafficking victims, some veterans or active-duty service members and their relatives, humanitarian parolees, certain Afghan and Ukrainian parolees, people whose deportation is being withheld and domestic-violence survivors applying under the Violence Against Women Act among groups that may no longer qualify.
The state’s broader overview separates this October change from community-engagement and six-month renewal requirements scheduled to begin January 1, 2027 for certain adults ages 19 through 64. The October action is based on immigration-status eligibility, not the later work, volunteer or school rules.
KFF Health News reported that New Jersey’s projected loss is part of a wider October change affecting more than 281,000 people identified by nine states and the District of Columbia. The report said the final state totals will not be known until later this fall and cited a Congressional Budget Office estimate that the federal provision will increase the number of uninsured immigrants by about 100,000 nationally by 2034.
Members should verify the final decision
NJ FamilyCare says it mailed initial letters when its records did not clearly establish continued eligibility. A letter did not automatically mean coverage would end; recipients could submit citizenship or immigration documents for state review. The state says members who received an initial letter but have not received an eligible determination should treat September 30 as their last covered day and call the HMS hotline at 833-635-7060 if they need to confirm whether a letter was issued or reviewed.
Household members are assessed individually. One person’s termination does not automatically end coverage for a spouse or child who independently qualifies. The state also warns that failing to respond to a verification request can end coverage even when the person believes the record is wrong.
Other coverage has separate limits
The state directs people losing NJ FamilyCare to Get Covered New Jersey and says enrollment should be completed within 60 days after the Medicaid loss to avoid a gap. The marketplace says loss of health coverage can qualify as a special-enrollment event, but plan costs and financial assistance depend on the applicant’s circumstances.
New Jersey’s emergency program may cover qualifying emergency services for residents who fail Medicaid’s citizenship or immigration requirement. It is not a replacement for comprehensive insurance: eligibility is income-based, and applications generally proceed through a hospital or county social-services agency after an emergency.
