RIO GRANDE – A consequence of the Affordable Care Act has impacted Cape May County Board of Social Services. As of June 20, there were 1,684 applications awaiting processing for health insurance. The number swelled from former Family Medicaid, awaiting processing.
Freeholder Director Gerald Thornton informed other freeholders July 8. He believes the county is not alone carrying its added, unfunded burden due to the federal government’s movement into health care. He earlier voiced concern over the problem to the South Jersey Freeholders Association
“The Social Service board is feeling the pressure that employees at Social Services are having with the Affordable Care Act,” Thornton said July 8. “It’s a federal program that happened to be dumped on counties to sign up people on the Affordable Care Act. We are not short staffed, but with the numbers and the economy, we are up 23-24 percent, and that got the staff overburdened. On top of that we have 1,684 applications as of June 20. We can’t tolerate it when the feds dump on us.”
“We need at least three more employees and we don’t have the money (to hire more).
Sara E. Maloney, acting deputy director, Board of Social Services, confirmed the situation. When the ACA went into force in January, all those who were covered under Family Medicaid became covered by ACA. “People who were not eligible before are eligible now, and that increased the applications,” Maloney said.
Single individuals and couples are now able to get health insurance under provisions of the act, she noted. Also, under the federal “marketplace” applications “filter to us to determine eligibility for the clients,” she said.