Bloomfield Officials: Changes Coming For SNAP, NJ Family Care

BLOOMFIELD, NJ — The following news release comes courtesy of the Township of Bloomfield. Find out how to post announcements or events to your local Patch site.

The Township of Bloomfield wants residents to be aware that beginning on April 1, NJ FamilyCare will begin re-determining members’ eligibility and all enrolled members will be reviewed yearly to see if they still qualify for coverage. Additionally, due to a recent change in federal law, the extra temporary benefits SNAP recipients have received, known as SNAP Emergency Allotments, are ending and residents will begin receiving their pre-COVID-19 SNAP benefits on March 1. The minimum monthly SNAP benefit in New Jersey is now $95.

If residents require any assistance navigating these changes or help accessing food, rental, utility, or medication programs, they are encouraged to contact the Bloomfield Department of Human Services at (973) 680-4017, where they can be screened for additional benefits and programs such as WIC, PAAD or Medicare.

“As we continue to return to normalcy after the COVID-19 pandemic, some families may face challenges in navigating these changes,” said Bloomfield Mayor Michael Venezia. “We want Bloomfield residents to rest assured that our team is here to support them every step of the way and we are committed to ensuring a smooth transition for all.”

Since the COVID-19 pandemic began in March of 2020, NJ FamilyCare/Medicaid had been following special rules which allowed most members to keep their health coverage, even if they no longer qualified – for example, if their income was too high. However, all Bloomfield residents enrolled in NJ FamilyCare will soon be receiving a renewal packet in the mail and will have to provide or confirm additional information so it can be determined if they still qualify for healthcare coverage. Members who do not respond to NJ FamilyCare/Medicaid mail will lose their coverage.

If a resident no longer qualifies for coverage through NJ FamilyCare/Medicaid, they may visit New Jersey’s official health insurance marketplace to shop for, be eligible to get help paying for, and buy affordable healthcare coverage https://www.nj.gov/getcoverednj/.

To learn more information about the upcoming NJ FamilyCare/Medicaid changes, visit: https://nj.gov/humanservices/dmahs/staycoverednj/ or call 1-800-701-0710 (TTY: 711).

For more information about upcoming SNAP changes, visit the SNAP COVID page at: https://www.nj.gov/humanservices/njsnap/emergency/covid19/, or to find food pantries located in Bloomfield and the surrounding areas, visit https://www.bloomfieldtwpnj.com/217/Human-Services to view a downloadable list in both English/Spanish.

Don’t forget to visit the Patch Bloomfield Facebook page. Send local news tips and correction requests to eric.kiefer@patch.com. Learn more about advertising on Patch here.