CHIP in New Jersey

New Jersey at a glance

New Jersey is home to about 2,236,554 foreign-born residents (23.9% of the state’s 9,343,809 people) and 2,098,960 residents of Hispanic or Latino origin (22.5%), per the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (2024 5-year estimates). The procedures below apply to everyone in New Jersey regardless of immigration status unless noted.

CHIP covers health insurance for uninsured children from families earning too much for Medicaid but unable to afford private insurance.

CHIP eligibility limits in New Jersey (verified data)

Source: Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) — CHIP data by state

Verified on: 2026-05-25

Children’s health coverage in New Jersey

Child ageMedicaid (% FPL)
Infants 0-1 yearup to 199% FPL
Children 1-5 yearsup to 147% FPL
Children 6-18 yearsup to 147% FPL

CHIP upper income limit in New Jersey: 355% of FPL

How to apply for CHIP in New Jersey

  1. Combined Medicaid+CHIP application via healthcare.gov
  2. New Jersey state application (some states have own portal)
  3. By phone: 1-877-KIDS-NOW (1-877-543-7669)

New Jersey adopted CHIPRA Option

New Jersey adopted the CHIPRA option, eliminating the 5-year bar for permanent-resident children. This means a child with a new green card (under 5 years in US) can qualify for CHIP in New Jersey without waiting.

How to apply for CHIP in New Jersey

  1. Visit Healthcare.gov or New Jersey’s Medicaid/CHIP portal
  2. Complete the application — ONE application covers both Medicaid AND CHIP automatically
  3. New Jersey determines if your child qualifies for one or the other

Typical coverage

CHIP covers: doctor visits, vaccines, hospitalization, dental, vision, prescriptions, mental health.

Income limits

Generally 200-300% federal poverty level. For family of 4: ~$60,000-$90,000/year.

Costs

CHIP has very low co-pays (sometimes $0) and low monthly premiums ($0-$50/month).

Last verified: 2026-06-15.