Measure would make the state the first in the nation to offer universal Medicare access pending federal approval.
TRENTON, NJ – A new proposal introduced in the New Jersey Assembly seeks to extend Medicare coverage to every resident in the state, regardless of age, disability, or income. The bill, sponsored by Assemblywoman Katie Brennan (D-32), would create a universal health care framework by applying for a federal waiver to allow all New Jersey residents to be covered under the federal Medicare program.
Key Points
- The bill directs the state to seek a federal waiver to expand Medicare to all New Jersey residents.
- Health insurance carriers would be prohibited from selling plans duplicating Medicare-covered services.
- The measure aims to replace existing public programs with a unified system under a state-administered Medicare structure.
Universal coverage through a federal waiver
Under the proposal, the state would apply to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) for permission to expand Medicare eligibility to every New Jersey resident who has lived in the state for at least 30 days. The application would include plans to integrate current recipients of Medicaid, veterans’ benefits, and other public health programs into a single coverage system.
CMS would calculate the total cost of providing universal Medicare coverage, offset that cost with existing federal and state health care payments, and then set Medicare premiums for New Jersey residents accordingly. The state’s goal is to consolidate fragmented health care programs and simplify the system into a single-payer model based on Medicare’s existing infrastructure.
Restrictions on private insurers
Once federal approval is granted and the program takes effect, private health insurance carriers would be barred from offering plans that duplicate Medicare services. This restriction is intended to ensure full participation in the new statewide system, reduce administrative costs, and prevent overlapping coverage.
Supporters of the bill argue that Medicare’s established national framework offers a cost-effective and stable foundation for universal coverage, eliminating many of the complexities and higher administrative costs associated with private insurance.
Simplified access and reduced costs
The legislation highlights Medicare’s lower out-of-pocket expenses and broad provider choice as key advantages for residents. By leveraging the federal system, the state could potentially extend affordable coverage to hundreds of thousands of uninsured or underinsured individuals without creating a new state-run bureaucracy.
If enacted, the bill would make New Jersey the first state to implement a universal Medicare model. Section 1 of the act would take effect immediately, while the ban on duplicative private health plans would begin once federal authorities approve and implement the program.
