Statement on the Passage of the Individual Health Insurance Mandate and the Health Insurance Market Stabilization Bills

 Maura Collinsgru, the Health Care Program Director at New Jersey Citizen Action and convener of the NJ For Health Care Coalition offered the following statement on yesterday’s passage of S1877/A3380 (Vitale/McKeon), establishing a state individual mandate and S1878/A3379, establishing a reinsurance program for the individual market by both houses of the New Jersey Legislature:

“These bills will stabilize New Jersey’s health insurance market, and help hold down the cost of premiums.  They will allow the state to establish a reinsurance program with federal dollars and funds collected from those who can afford, but chose to go without coverage.  Together, they will remedy some of the damage from the loss of federal reinsurance funds and the repeal of the Affordable Care Act individual mandate penalty that have caused premiums to escalate. The bill also shields New Jersey consumers from federal proposals that would  allow sub-standard plans to be sold in the state.  These bills will insulate our state’s insurance market against the attacks of the Trump administration, and help restore and preserve consumers’ access to affordable insurance coverage to the fullest extent possible.  We urge the Governor to sign them quickly to shield New Jersey consumers from even higher premiums in 2019.”

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