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The impact on N.J.
Under the health care law, insurers can no longer refuse to cover those with pre-existing conditions such as diabetes or cancer, and are limited in how much more they could charge older policyholders.
It provides subsidies to help lower-income Americans who otherwise couldn’t afford insurance buy comprehensive coverage.
And it provides $1 billion in federal funds to the state annually to cover most of the costs of expanding Medicaid.
As a result, 472,226 additional New Jerseyans now have health insurance, 688,068 in 2017 versus 1.2 million in 2013, according to New Jersey Policy Perspective, a progressive research group. That lowered the uninsured rate to 7.7 percent in 2017 compared with 13.2 percent in 2013.
Around 800,000 New Jerseyans are receiving coverage under the health care law, 500,000 through Medicaid and about 300,000 through private insurance.
Those buying insurance through the Affordable Care Act can expect an average reduction in their premiums of 9.3 percent next year as Gov. Phil Murphy and the Democratic-controlled legislature enacted two laws to address the problems caused by congressional Republican repeal efforts.
The legislation required all state residents to carry insurance or pay a penalty, and set up a reinsurance program to protect insurers from very high medical claims.
New Jersey insurers last year sought double-digit rate hikes, partly in response to Trump and GOP proposals to repeal the health care law or weaken its provisions administratively.
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