Declan O’Scanlon, a Senator from New Jersey, said that a new state program offers free child health care to undocumented immigrants while increasing premiums and copays for public employees’ children. The statement was made on the social media platform X.
“Doesn’t matter whether you’re sympathetic to illegal immigrants or not,” said Declan O’Scanlon, District 13. “Legal, private and public employees have premium sharing and copays for their children’s health care. Yet, here in NJ…illegal immigrant parents – earning up to $110,000! – have none under a new program created by Democrats! AND… they are jacking up premiums and copays for public employees’ children. Where the F is the sanity?”
New Jersey expanded its Cover All Kids program in 2023 to provide state-funded health coverage for all income-eligible children, including undocumented immigrants. This expansion eliminated premiums and wait times and has enrolled more than 47,000 children since 2021, as reported by the New Jersey Department of Human Services.
According to NJ Spotlight, approximately 24,000 undocumented children are currently enrolled in Cover All Kids. This number greatly surpasses initial projections and reflects a strong response to outreach efforts aimed at expanding healthcare access for immigrant families across the state.
The New Jersey Monitor reports that public employee health care costs in New Jersey have risen sharply. The State Health Benefits Commission approved a 10.1% premium hike for state workers and a 16.3% increase for local government employees in 2024. These increases follow sizable co-pay hikes and raise concerns about long-term affordability.
Wikipedia notes that O’Scanlon is a Republican state senator representing New Jersey’s 13th District. He was previously an Assemblyman and has prioritized reforming public employee benefits, reducing health care costs, and advocating fiscal responsibility throughout his legislative career.
