New Jersey Assembly Approves Income Verification Legislation

The New Jersey Assembly on Monday approved a bill that would require the state to verify the incomes of residents applying for state-sponsored health insurance programs, the AP/Philadelphia Inquirer reports (AP/Philadelphia Inquirer, 6/16). Under the legislation, residents applying for coverage would be required to submit pay stubs from present and past employers and all other sources of income. In addition, the state would match the applicant's data with state labor and income tax records (Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, 6/9). The bill, which the Senate approved last week, was introduced after a recent state audit found that residents earning as much as $295,000 annually had enrolled in state-subsidized health insurance programs. The bill now awaits the governor's signature (AP/Philadelphia Inquirer, 6/16).