New Jersey CHIP: Children's Health Insurance Program

Per NJ FamilyCare's official income chart (effective January 1, 2026), children's coverage carries no monthly premium at any income level — a change from the tiered premiums NJ FamilyCare charged in earlier years. Modest copayments apply above 150% FPL. Verify current figures at njfamilycare.org or by calling 1-800-701-0710, since income thresholds and cost-sharing amounts update annually.

All children enrolled in NJ FamilyCare receive the same comprehensive benefit package regardless of which income tier they fall into. Federal EPSDT rules apply to all children under 21, meaning any medically necessary service must be covered — even if New Jersey's standard benefit plan doesn't list it explicitly.

Apply at NJHelps.gov. One application covers the entire household — children and adults apply together, and the system determines which category and funding source applies to each family member. You don't need to know whether your child qualifies under Medicaid or CHIP rules; NJHelps handles that determination.

You can also apply through GetCoveredNJ if you're also shopping for adult marketplace coverage. The system routes children to NJ FamilyCare automatically if their income falls below 355% FPL, even if the adults in the household end up on a marketplace plan instead.

Processing takes up to 45 days, but coverage starts the first day of the application month if approved. A child born to an NJ FamilyCare-enrolled mother is automatically enrolled in NJ FamilyCare from birth and has one year of continuous eligibility regardless of changes in the household's income.

Children whose family income rises above 355% FPL are no longer eligible for NJ FamilyCare. At that point, families can purchase coverage through the ACA marketplace (GetCoveredNJ) and may qualify for premium tax credits depending on income. The transition is not automatic — families need to apply for marketplace coverage separately if NJ FamilyCare eligibility ends.

The federal One Big Beautiful Bill Act, signed in July 2025, changes NJ FamilyCare eligibility rules for some members starting in Fall 2026, per the NJ Division of Medical Assistance and Health Services (DMAHS). Beginning October 1, 2026, some non-citizen immigrant adults may lose eligibility, and beginning January 1, 2027, many adults ages 19–64 must meet new work, volunteer, or school requirements and renew coverage every 6 months instead of annually.

Children are exempt from these changes: DMAHS confirms that children under 19 continue to qualify for NJ FamilyCare regardless of immigration status, are not subject to the new work/volunteer/school requirements, and are not moved to 6-month renewal cycles.

CHIP — the Children's Health Insurance Program — is a federal-state partnership that covers children in families whose income is too high for Medicaid but too low to afford private insurance. Congress created CHIP in 1997 under Title XXI of the Social Security Act. Like Medicaid, CHIP is jointly funded by the federal government and each state, and each state administers its own program.

CHIP serves children up to age 19 (some states cover to 21 for children in foster care). It is not available to adults — CHIP is specifically designed to address the coverage gap for children in working families. Nationally, CHIP covers approximately 7 million children, according to CMS data.