New Jersey FamilyCare which is a program sponsored by the State of New Jersey and the US federal government, it is not a welfare program but a health insurance program that provides health insurance to families that cannot afford private health insurance. This program provides a range of services that cater for almost all medical complications that could arise in kids. These services include:

• Physician services, including medical diagnosis and check ups
• Emergency medical services
• Outpatient services
• Laboratory services
• Preventive healthcare and related services
• Eye care
• Dental health services and a host of many other services

Eligibility to this program is based on the family's monthly income and size. Unlike other similar programs, the New Jersey familycare program does not peg eligibility on the family's assets. Other eligibility requirements include been a resident of New Jersey, a US citizen or legal alien, and the fact that you are not covered by any other form of health insurance which includes Medicaid.

Accessibility to New Jersey familycare is fairly flexible as each county is assigned at least three health maintenance organizations (HMO's) that provide the medical services of the program to members. It however should be noted that not all families can access all services and depending on the family income, some families can be denied access to certain services.

Eligibility Requirements

For one to qualify for membership to the New Jersey familycare program he or she must meet a set of eligibility requirements. These are discussed below:

Children of 18 years and below - children under the age of 19 are eligible to the New Jersey familycare program if the family income is 350% of the federal poverty line. This means that for an average family of four, the monthly income should be around $6,432.

Low Income Parents or Guardians - the New Jersey familycare program also accepts applications from low income parents or guardians at a level of 133% of the federal income level. This comes to a monthly figure of around $2,444 for an average family of four.

Note: Families with less than the above stated income are not eligible because unemployment income, child support, and other government benefits, are counted separately for parents/guardians.

Family size and monthly income - the New Jersey familycare program takes into consideration the family size of the applicants. It should however be noted that the family size includes children under the age of 21, any adoptive and natural parents along with their spouses. In the event that a child is living with his or her grandparent or caretaker, they are not included in the family size and thus their incomes are not taken into consideration when calculating for eligibility to the New Jersey FamilyCare program. There however may be exemptions in the event that the guardian specifically requests for coverage.

Family Assets are not considered when calculating for eligibity

When calculating income eligibility the New Jersey FamilyCare program does not take into consideration the assets of a particular family. For more information on income eligibilities, visit the following link:
www.njfamilycare.org/who_eligbl

Important Facts about Eligibility to the New Jersey Healthcare Program

• Families which are at a higher income level than those specified by the eligibility requirements have the option of purchasing family health insurance for their children at affordable prices through the New Jersey FamilyCare advantage program. The costs for this program are, $144-for one child,$288-for two children and $432 for three or more children
• In normal circumstances for applicants to be eligible for the New Jersey Healthcare program they must have been uninsured for more than three months. However an exception is made to those individuals who lose their health insurance as a result of being laid off.
• For a majority of the families the New Jersey healthcare program is free, however other families pay premiums and co-payments based on their income levels.

SCHIP Application Instructions

One can make applications to the New Jersey familycare program by:

• Filling an online application
• Sending a physical application
• Calling the department of human services for assistance

Online Applications

An application form is available online at the following link:
www.fc.dhs.state.nj.us/apply

All you need to do is get the Adobe Acrobat reader, which is available free on the internet. Once you have downloaded the application form you can fill it and send it to the DHS.

Apply In Person

One can apply in person by visiting his or her nearest Department of Human Services offices, where they can ask for information and application forms for the New Jersey familycare program. This is an effective way as one can obtain a one to one advisory from the experienced staff at the DHS. After filling the application, the applicant submits it and awaits feedback after processing is complete. Applications can be sent to the following address:

NJ FamilyCare
P.O. Box 8367
Trenton, N.J. 08650-8367

Apply by Phone

For the disabled or people who cannot visit the Department of Human Services or apply online, there exists the option of requesting for the application forms via phone. This simply involves calling a toll free number where a member of staff will give you the required assistance and take you through the application process. This toll free number is 1 (800) 701-0710.