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New Jersey is trying to bring back the individual mandate

Phil Murphy
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy at the Newark Musem. Photo: Kena Betancur/VIEWpress via Getty Images

The New Jersey legislature approved two big bills Thursday designed to counteract some of President Trump's changes to the Affordable Care Act and stabilize the state's individual insurance market.

Why it matters: Some ACA allies have pinned their hope on states to counteract the administration's policy moves, but there will likely only be limited effects in blue states. But if Gov. Phil Murphy approves these bills, it could give other blue states more encouragement to move forward.

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The bills: One would begin the process of seeking a federal waiver to establish a reinsurance program. The other would create an individual mandate in the state.

  • If Gov. Phil Murphy signs off, New Jersey would become only the second state in the country to have an individual mandate, and the first state to pass one since the federal coverage requirement was repealed.
  • The mandate bill would require New Jersey residents to buy coverage that meets New Jersey's standards — not the federal government's. And New Jersey already bans the sale of short-term health plans, which the Trump administration is expanding.
  • Together, this means that New Jersey's market would function a lot like the pre-Trump ACA.

Go deeper: Freelance health care journalist/analyst Andrew Sprung has written a lot about how these measures could preempt the administration's priorities.

Affordable Care Act
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