According to the CDC, there were 137 provisional overdose deaths in Atlantic County between September 2023 – September 2024. 13% of Atlantic County residents are uninsured, and 4% of children in Atlantic County are uninsured. As of May 2025 5,842 adults and 20,104 children were on Medicaid.

Caitland Carter – Ventnor City, New Jersey 08406

When I was on Medicaid, I had the opportunity to seek withdrawal treatment at Maryville, a State Funded Facility. I was regularly tested for STI’s and was provided with prescriptions to keep me healthy while I was struggling with recovery. Medicaid helped save my life until I could find recovery. In early recovery, I was on Medicaid and got all my check ups, bloodwork, mental health care that I needed to start and continue my recovery journey.

Tonia Ahern, Advocacy Coordinator for National Center for Advocacy and Recovery – Woodbine, New Jersey 08270

We lost our son, Rory, July 9, 2021 to a drug related death. Medicaid was difficult to access early in his journey, but it made a huge difference the last several years of his life. Not only was he able to go to withdrawal management and treatment for his substance use disorder, but he had lifesaving medical care for a serious infection. There is no question that medications for his mental health and opioid use disorder covered by Medicaid kept him with us years longer than if he did not have coverage. Although we are heartbroken, we are grateful for the time we had with him because he had access to care.

I also work with individuals throughout NJ who have had access to care, whether it was for physical health, behavioral health and/or medications, using Medicaid. Many would not be here today without that care. Making it more difficult to be approved for Medicaid would be harmful to so many people who are not able to pay the high cost of insurance, leaving themselves and, very often, their families without medical care or with financial debt that will make it difficult for them to afford basic living expenses.