The Affordable Care Act (ACA) can help uninsured and underinsured individuals and families obtain health insurance to receive regular, high-quality health care. All health insurance plans will now provide more coverage to help you get and stay healthy.

If you are one of the 1.2 million New Jerseyans without health insurance today, you and your family have a lot to gain from health care reform, especially beginning in January 2014.

What this means to you:

• If the cost of health insurance prevented you from obtaining coverage in the past, the new law will offer assistance in two ways. Read more about subsidies and tax credits [LINK to "Paying for coverage"].
• If you were denied health insurance previously because of a pre-existing health condition or if you were charged a higher rate, you will now be able to buy the same coverage at the same rate as a healthier individual.
• If you want to shop online and compare health plans before you buy, you will have access to the Health Insurance Marketplace through Horizon BCBSNJ and you may even get help to pay for coverage.

Our printable guide can help you learn more about what health care reform could mean to you.

You must be covered or pay a penalty
The ACA requires individuals to obtain a health plan. With a few exceptions, most people who remain uninsured in 2014 for longer than three months will pay a penalty, which will be taken out of their tax refund check. The penalties include: