Help for uninsured kids: connect to NJ FamilyCare in the ED
Official title: Maintaining Continuous Medicaid Coverage for Eligible Children in New Jersey
Run by Hackensack Meridian Health · NCT07594782 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This ED-based program tries to see if uninsured children can enroll or re-enroll in NJ FamilyCare by giving families direct help and a quick survey about barriers.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 18 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 180 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | Hackensack Meridian Health Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Hackensack, New Jersey) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | August 19, 2026 |
| Main results expected | August 13, 2028 |
| Study ends | August 13, 2028 |
| Registry record updated | August 21, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT07594782 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Pediatric patients aged 1 month to 17 years who are uninsured and whose parent or guardian can engage in English and lives in New Jersey.
✕Probably not a fit
Families with barriers beyond enrollment processes or whose ED encounter does not lead to enrollment may not gain coverage.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
This interventional study tests a bedside navigator tool to assist families of uninsured pediatric patients with enrollment or re-enrollment in NJ FamilyCare. A brief parent survey identifies barriers to coverage, while staff guide families through the enrollment process or re-application during an ED visit. The approach focuses on linking families to financial resources and ensuring timely access to insurance coverage. The study takes place at Hackensack University Medical Center in New Jersey and analyzes how the bedside assistance impacts enrollment outcomes. Eligibility includes children 1 month to 17 years presenting to the pediatric ED who are uninsured and whose parent can engage in English and is a resident of New Jersey.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, families may gain quicker access to health coverage for their children, reducing care barriers after ED visits.
How similar studies have gone: Previous efforts linking emergency department encounters to coverage resources have shown promise, but results specific to NJ FamilyCare enrollment support in the ED are limited.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Parent/guardian/ legal authorized representative (age 18 years or older) with children aged: 1 month to 17 years of age who obtain care in the pediatric emergency department * Child Uninsured (ie, Charity Care, HUMC Charity Care, Pending Medicaid, Self-Pay) * Interested in applying or receiving assistance with NJfamilycare * Not pending private insurance coverage * Primary language of the parent or guardian is identified as English * Pediatric patient lives in New Jersey Exclusion Criteria: * Parent/guardian/legal authorized representative with children aged: less than 1 month and greater than 17 years old Insured pediatric patient Parent/ Guardian/Legal Authorized Representative not present Parent/ Guardian/Legal Authorized Representative age 17 years or younger Primary language not identified as English Patients visiting the Emergency Department related to Motor Vehicle Accidents Already participated in this study
Where it's running
-
Hackensack Univarsity medical Center
Hackensack, New Jersey, United States Recruiting
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Karen Eigen, MD, MPH — Hackensack Meridian Health
- Study coordinator: Daisy Negron, MBA, BSN, RN
- Email: Daisy.Negron@hmhn.org
- Phone: 551-996-3206
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How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.