New Jersey’s New Medicaid Employer Fee: What Employers Need to Know
On June 30, Governor Sherrill signed A5324/S4533 into law as part of New Jersey’s FY27 budget. The legislation establishes a new employer healthcare assistance assessment, which the state projects will generate approximately $145 million in annual revenue.
If your organization has 50 or more employees in New Jersey, this new assessment could affect your healthcare costs and budgeting. While implementation details are still emerging, employers should begin evaluating whether they may be subject to the fee, understand how it will be calculated, and prepare for any financial impact as additional guidance becomes available.
Aetna’s Smart Compare Tool Helps Employees Choose Providers with Confidence
Aetna Smart Compare® with Intelligent Matching guides employees toward high-quality, cost-effective providers using NCQA-certified standards and real-time claims data — no extra vendors or tools required, since it’s built directly into the Aetna Health® app and member website. Employees who use Smart Compare providers may save 15-30%, up to $1,377 per member annually.* For brokers, it’s a way to help clients’ employees make more confident care decisions while supporting steadier costs and better outcomes overall.
New Jersey Stretches Newborn Enrollment Window to 90 Days
New Jersey has enacted legislation extending the newborn enrollment period from 60 to 90 days after birth, giving parents more time to add a new child to their health coverage. The change applies broadly across coverage types, including individual and group policies issued by insurers, hospital service corporations, medical service corporations, and health service corporations.
Compliance Corner: 2027 ACA Affordability Threshold Rises to 10.22%
The IRS has set the 2027 ACA affordability percentage at 10.22%, continuing a multi-year upward trend. This figure determines whether an Applicable Large Employer’s coverage offer counts as “affordable” under the employer mandate. As the threshold climbs further above the original 9.5% baseline, employers gain a bit more flexibility in setting self-only contribution amounts while staying compliant — provided the offer still meets minimum value and MEC requirements.