Medicaid Office in New Jersey

How Medicaid Is Run in New Jersey

New Jersey delivers Medicaid under the name NJ FamilyCare. The New Jersey Department of Human Services oversees it through the Division of Medical Assistance and Health Services, known as DMAHS. Our directory lists eight Medicaid office locations in the state, from Newark and Paterson in the north to Camden, Hammonton and Westampton in the south. This page explains who handles what, so you can pick the right office before you spend a day traveling.

Medicaid is a joint federal and state program. Washington sets the baseline rules and shares the cost, and each state designs its own plan within those limits. In New Jersey, Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program are combined under the NJ FamilyCare name. Your card may never say the word Medicaid. It will show the name of your health plan instead.

DMAHS writes policy, pays claims and contracts with managed care organizations. Most members join one of several health plans, and that plan becomes the main route to primary care, specialists, hospitals and pharmacies. Plan enrollment runs through the state's Health Benefits Coordinator. The NJ FamilyCare helpline, 1-800-701-0710, is the number to call for plan choices, replacement cards and general questions.

Eligibility work is split between the state and the counties. Many families apply online or by phone and never enter a building. Applications from people who are 65 or older, blind or disabled, and requests for nursing-home or home-care coverage, are generally handled by the County Board of Social Services where the applicant lives. New Jersey has 21 counties, and each board runs its own local offices and phone lines.

That split is why the phrase "Medicaid office" covers several kinds of buildings. Some are county social services sites. Others are regional or program offices. Call the listed number first, and ask whether the office handles your type of case and whether you need an appointment.

Medicaid Offices in North Jersey: Newark, Jersey City and Paterson

North Jersey has the densest population in the state, and its offices serve very large caseloads. Our database lists three locations in this part of New Jersey:

• Newark New Jersey Medicaid Office – 153 Halsey Street, Newark, Essex County, 973-648-3700
• Jersey City New Jersey Medicaid Office – 438 Summit Avenue (listed under Jersey City), Hudson County, 201-217-7100
• Paterson New Jersey Medicaid Office – 100 Hamilton Plaza, Paterson, Passaic County, 973-977-4077

Newark is the seat of Essex County. The city is served by Newark Penn Station and a dense network of NJ Transit buses, which helps residents who do not drive. If you live in Irvington, East Orange or another Essex town, check which local office handles your case before heading to Halsey Street.

Jersey City is the county seat of Hudson County. PATH trains, the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail and NJ Transit buses all run through the city, so you can usually reach the Summit Avenue location without a car. Hudson County is one of the most linguistically varied places in the country. Ask for a free interpreter when you call.

Paterson is the seat of Passaic County, and the Hamilton Plaza office draws applicants from Paterson, Passaic, Clifton and nearby towns. Many households here speak Spanish, Arabic or Bengali at home. Federal rules require language help at no charge, and a short phone call to the office will tell you how to arrange it.

Metro offices tend to be busiest in the first hours after opening and on Mondays. A mid-week visit in the afternoon is often calmer. Many routine tasks, such as reporting a new address, can be done online or by phone, which saves a trip entirely.

Medicaid Offices in South and Central New Jersey

South Jersey and the Shore region mix small cities, suburbs, farmland and pine forest. Distances are longer, bus service is thinner and most people travel by car. Our database lists five offices here.

The Camden New Jersey Medicaid Office is at 2 Riverside Drive, phone 856-614-2870. Camden is the seat of Camden County, and the NJ Transit River Line and local buses serve the city. Although Philadelphia sits just across the Delaware River, your NJ FamilyCare plan has its own provider network, so ask the plan before you book care out of state.

The Sewell New Jersey Medicaid Office is at 400 Holly Dell Drive, phone 856-256-2100. Our listing shows the town as Washington, because Sewell lies within Washington Township in Gloucester County. If you use a GPS, search for Sewell and Holly Dell Drive together.

The Westampton New Jersey Medicaid Office is at 795 Woodlane Road, phone 609-261-1000, in Burlington County. Burlington is the largest county in New Jersey by land area, so a resident in the Pine Barrens may live a long way from Westampton. Phone first and ask whether your paperwork can be handled by mail or online.

The Hammonton New Jersey Medicaid Office is at 852 South White Horse Pike, phone 609-561-7569, in Atlantic County. Hammonton is known for blueberry farming, and agricultural work often means irregular pay. Keep recent pay records handy, because caseworkers will ask how much you earned and when.

The Freehold New Jersey Medicaid Office is at 3499 U.S. 9, phone 732-761-3600, in Monmouth County. It sits on a busy highway corridor, so allow extra time in summer when Shore traffic builds.

What to Bring to a New Jersey Medicaid Office and When to Go

Bring proof of identity, such as a driver's license or passport, plus a Social Security number for each person applying. Add proof of New Jersey residency, like a lease or utility bill. You will also need recent pay stubs, benefit letters or tax records, and immigration papers if they apply. Applicants for long-term care should also bring bank statements and records of any property.

Call ahead for the current walk-in schedule. Some offices work by appointment, and hours can change around holidays and weather. Arrive early in the day, bring photocopies as well as originals, and write down the name of the worker you speak to. If a form asks for information you do not have, say so; a worker can usually tell you which substitute documents are accepted.

If you cannot reach a local office, the NJ FamilyCare helpline at 1-800-701-0710 can answer plan and enrollment questions. For complex cases, such as nursing-home coverage, call the county board directly.

Medicaid in New Jersey is administered by the state health and human services agency, providing health coverage for eligible low-income residents through a combination of fee-for-service and managed care delivery systems tailored to the state's population needs.

Medicaid Office locations are available in 8 cities across New Jersey. They are spread across 8 counties.

Cities with the highest concentration include Hammonton, Jersey, Paterson, which have the largest Medicaid caseloads in the state and dedicated eligibility offices to serve high-need urban populations.

Residents of New Jersey can apply for Medicaid online through the state's health benefits portal or health exchange, by calling the Medicaid agency's toll-free number, or by visiting a local eligibility office with the required documentation.

Residents of New Jersey who currently receive Medicaid should complete their annual renewal on time to avoid a gap in coverage. Most states send renewal notices by mail and email, and online renewal is typically the fastest method to maintain uninterrupted healthcare coverage.

Browse Medicaid Office by county across New Jersey to find the nearest location.

Eligibility, Long-Term Care and Renewals in New Jersey

New Jersey expanded Medicaid in 2014 under the Affordable Care Act. Adults aged 19 to 64 with income up to 138 percent of the federal poverty level can qualify, even without children. Children and pregnant women have higher income limits. Poverty figures change every year, so confirm the current numbers with NJ FamilyCare before assuming you do or do not qualify.

Long-term care follows separate rules. Nursing-home coverage and the Managed Long Term Services and Supports program, called MLTSS, which also pays for home and community care, require a clinical assessment as well as a financial review. The county board of social services handles the financial side, while state assessors decide whether you need that level of care. Federal law reviews five years of financial transfers, so recent gifts can delay coverage.

Renewals matter as much as applications. NJ FamilyCare members must renew periodically, and the state mails notices to the address on file. When the pandemic-era continuous coverage rule ended in 2023, many New Jersey residents lost coverage because a form went unanswered. Update your address and phone number whenever they change, and keep your online account active.

Medicaid Questions From New Jersey Residents