During his 2017 and 2021 gubernatorial campaigns, Jack Ciattarelli’s health care proposals included repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act and supporting programs that were vague, ineffective, or already implemented in New Jersey or nationwide. Despite receiving criticism for these proposals, Ciattarelli maintained many of them in his 2025 gubernatorial campaign platform.
2017: Ciattarelli Called For The Affordable Care Act To Be Repealed And Replaced And Claimed It Increased Insurance Premiums, Limited Consumer Choice, And Forced Deductibles Higher. According to NJ Spotlight News, “He has also called for changes to Medicaid to reduce costs and improve care delivery. ‘As a Main Street business owner I have seen firsthand how Obamacare sent insurance premiums skyrocketing, limited consumer choice, and forced deductibles so high that people with insurance couldn't afford to use it. There is no doubt that Obamacare needs to be repealed and replaced,' Ciattarelli said Wednesday.” [NJ Spotlight News, 5/18/17]
2017: Ciattarelli Criticized Former New Jersey Gubernatorial Opponent Guadagno For Supporting The Affordable Care Act. According to The Bergen Record, “Our colleagues at Insider NJ got hold of a mailer being sent out by the Ciattarelli campaign that makes an unflattering comparison between Guadagno and Hillary Clinton, the Democratic nominee for president last year and a loathed target of the GOP. Not only does the mailer show them side by side looking like twin sisters -- wearing suit jackets and with their short blond hair similarly styled -- but it claims that they support the same policies, such as cap-and-trade and the Affordable Care Act.” [Bergen Record, 5/26/17]
2025: Ciattarelli Pledged To “Encourage New Free-Market Health Systems.” According to Ciattarelli’s campaign website, “Jack will encourage new free-market health systems that make care more accessible and affordable while guaranteeing patient choice.” [Governor Jack Ciattarelli, Jack’s Platform, Viewed 3/19/25]
2025: Ciattarelli Pledged To Support “State-Sponsored Reinsurance/Reimbursement Systems That Address Catastrophic Care Claims.” According to Ciattarelli’s campaign website, “Jack will ensure health insurance plans cover all out-of-network expenses for emergent medical care, and support state-sponsored reinsurance programs/reimbursement systems that address catastrophic care claims in order to stabilize health insurance markets and make coverage more available and affordable.” [Governor Jack Ciattarelli, Jack’s Platform, Viewed 3/19/25]
2021: Ciattarelli Proposed Replacing New Jersey’s Health Exchange Mirroring The Affordable Care Act With A “Free-Market Health System” And “State-Sponsored Reinsurance Program.” According to NJ BIZ, “His proposals call for ‘new free-market health systems.’ The state currently runs its own health exchange in a bid to mirror the Obama-era Affordable Care Act. Ciattarelli's proposal calls for supporting a ‘state-sponsored reinsurance program’ to pay for large health care claims. Murphy previously enacted such a system: A high-risk pool for more expensive patients that's paid for with penalties from the state's individual mandate.” [NJ BIZ, 6/9/21]
2021: New Jersey Spotlight News Questioned Ciattarelli’s Advocacy For A New “Free Market” Healthcare System That Enhanced “Accessibility, Affordability And Patient Choice.” According to the New Jersey Spotlight News, “Also in question is what Ciattarelli means exactly when he advocates for new ‘free market’ health care systems that improve accessibility, affordability and patient choice.” [New Jersey Spotlight News, 10/27/21]
2021: The New Jersey Spotlight News Said Ciattarelli’s Campaign Indicated Support For “Catastrophic-Coverage Insurance Plans” That Governor Murphy Banned In January 2020. According to the New Jersey Spotlight News, “Although Ciattarelli’s reputation on the Assembly insurance committee was as a moderate, his campaign has indicated his support for catastrophic-coverage insurance plans — bare-bones plans that are lower cost and a favorite of pro-market Republicans. But these plans are now banned in New Jersey, thanks in part to another measure Murphy signed in January 2020.” [New Jersey Spotlight News, 10/27/21]
HealthInsurance.Org: Catastrophic Health Care Plans Had Higher Deductibles, Which Were Equal To The Annual Limit On Out-Of-Pocket Costs Under The Affordable Care Act. According to HealthInsurance.org, “Catastrophic plans cover all of the essential benefits defined by the ACA, but with very high deductibles, equal to the annual limit on out-of-pocket costs under the ACA (for 2025, this is $9,200 for a single individual, increasing to $10,150 in 2026).” [HealthInsurance.org, Viewed 3/21/25]
Healthcare Dive: People With Catastrophic Health Care Plans Often Delayed Care Due To Higher Deductibles, Which Led To An Increase In Long-Term And More Severe Health Problems. According to Healthcare Dive, “Rita Numerof, co-founder and president of Numerof & Associates, told Healthcare Dive studies on high-deductible health plans (HDHP), such as catastrophic health plans, show they reduce healthcare costs, at least in the short-term, but that’s not always positive. HDHP members often delay care because those plans require the consumer to shoulder more of the cost. Delaying care can lead to long-term health problems for the patients — and less utilization for providers. ‘Based on this evidence, we should expect an increase in catastrophic health plan enrollment to result in decreased utilization and lower short-term healthcare costs,’ Numerof said. She added that not getting appropriate health services and not adhering to medication can cost more in the long run and lead to more severe health issues over time.” [Healthcare Dive, 11/9/17]
New Jersey Spotlight News: “Catastrophic-Coverage Insurance Plans” Were “Bare-Bones Plans That Are Lower Cost.” According to the New Jersey Spotlight News, “Although Ciattarelli’s reputation on the Assembly insurance committee was as a moderate, his campaign has indicated his support for catastrophic-coverage insurance plans — bare-bones plans that are lower cost and a favorite of pro-market Republicans. But these plans are now banned in New Jersey, thanks in part to another measure Murphy signed in January 2020.” [New Jersey Spotlight News, 10/27/21]
2021: Ciattarelli’s Website Detailed Support For Medical Insurance Programs, Including Some Programs That Were Implemented Due To The Affordable Care Act Or Governor Murphy’s Actions To Protect Health Care Benefits. According to the New Jersey Spotlight News, “Republican challenger Jack Ciattarelli, a former state assemblyman who served on a committee overseeing health insurance matters, offers support for a mixed bag of medical insurance programs on his website, including some now in place as a result of Obamacare or Murphy’s actions to protect these benefits in New Jersey from the vagaries of Washington politics. Other proposals Ciattarelli notes reflect traditional Republican free-market leanings.” [New Jersey Spotlight News, 10/27/21]
2021: New Jersey Spotlight News Noted That While Ciattarelli Declined To Provide Details On His Health Insurance Plans, Several Policies He Supported Were Enacted Nationwide Or In New Jersey. According to the New Jersey Spotlight News, “Ciattarelli’s campaign declined to provide additional detail on his health insurance proposals, but several of the policy points he supports have already been enacted — nationally, in New Jersey or both.” [New Jersey Spotlight News, 10/27/21]
2025: Ciattarelli’s Campaign Website Continued To Call For State-Sponsored Reinsurance Programs, Coverage Of Pre-Existing Conditions, And Coverage For Emergency Care. According to Ciattarelli’s campaign website, “Jack will end any rejection or limitation of health insurance coverage for pre-existing medical conditions and ensure that all specialists who previously treated a pre-existing condition will be considered ‘in-network’ when someone changes plans. Jack will empower the Department of Banking and Insurance to crack down on insurers to lower costs, as well as prevent the improper withholding of claims and the misuse of the preauthorization process designed to inflate profits and unfairly deny coverage to people who have paid for it. Jack will ensure health insurance plans cover all out-of-network expenses for emergent medical care, and support state-sponsored reinsurance programs/reimbursement systems that address catastrophic care claims in order to stabilize health insurance markets and make coverage more available and affordable.” [Governor Jack Ciattarelli, Jack’s Platform, Viewed 3/19/25]
2021: New Jersey Spotlight News Said It Was Unclear How Ciattarelli’s Advocacy For Pre-Existing Condition Coverage And Coverage For All Emergency Care Would Be Different From Governor Murphy’s Enhanced Protections. According to the New Jersey Spotlight News, “Also unclear is how Ciattarelli’s calls for insurance companies to cover all pre-existing conditions and to pay for all emergency care would differ from laws New Jersey has had on the books for decades. These patient protections were further strengthened by various reforms Murphy has signed in recent years, including a nine-bill package he approved in January 2020 to codify various ACA elements in state law.” [New Jersey Spotlight News, 10/27/21]
2021: On His Campaign Website, Ciattarelli Said He Supported A State-Sponsored Reinsurance Program To Help Offset The Cost Of The Most Expensive Medical Claims,” But New Jersey Spotlight News Said It Was Unclear How Ciattarelli’s Plan Was Different From Governor Murphy’s Implemented Program. According to the New Jersey Spotlight News, “On his website, Ciattarelli also outlines his support for a state-sponsored reinsurance program to help offset the cost of the most expensive medical claims, a method that has helped stabilize rates in some regions. But Murphy created a reinsurance fund for this purpose in June 2018, when he made New Jersey the second state, after Massachusetts, to require that residents have health insurance or pay a fine with their income tax. It is not clear how Ciattarelli’s plan would differ from the one now in place.” [New Jersey Spotlight News, 10/27/21]
2025: Ciattarelli Pledged To “Better Invest Medicaid Dollars” To Improve Access To “High-Quality And Culturally Competent Healthcare.” According to Ciattarelli’s campaign website, “Jack will partner with the federal government to better invest Medicaid dollars to encourage, empower and promote clinics in the community that provide access to high-quality and culturally competent healthcare to those who experience barriers to healthcare, such as the uninsured and working poor.” [Governor Jack Ciattarelli, Jack’s Platform, Viewed 3/19/25]
2021: Ciattarelli Said He Wanted To ‘“Better Invest Medicaid Dollars’ In Local Clinics For High-Quality And Clinically Appropriate Care.” According to the New Jersey Spotlight News, “Ciattarelli said he wants to ‘better invest Medicaid dollars’ in local clinics for high-quality and clinically appropriate care, but it is not clear how this would happen, since Medicaid is primarily a fee-for-service reimbursement program, not a system of block grants.” [New Jersey Spotlight News, 10/27/21]
2021: New Jersey Spotlight News Noted That Ciattarelli’s Proposal To Lock Telemedicine Reimbursements At The Same Rate For In-Person Treatment Would Cost New Jersey “$50 Million More Annually In FamilyCare Claims.” According to the New Jersey Spotlight News, “Other proposals, like his call for locking in telemedicine reimbursements at the same rate providers are paid for in-person treatment, are popular with doctors. But it could cost the state some $50 million more annually in FamilyCare claims, according to a nonpartisan legislative analysis.” [New Jersey Spotlight News, 10/27/21]
2025: Ciattarelli Called Federal Cuts To Medicaid, Medicare, And Social Security A “Grand Experiment” And Said He Would Speak Up Only “If” The Cuts Were “Very Harmful And State Government Can’t Pick Up The Slack.” According to a Jack Ciattarelli interview with CBS New York The Point, “HOST: ‘So there's a lot of concern about cuts coming from Washington that are going to affect budgets in the metropolitan area, specifically the Garden State. How do you feel about that? And how will you head them off? If we're talking about Medicaid cuts, Medicare cuts, Social Security cuts, people are worried, especially Medicaid recipients, about the fact that their aid could be cut and it could really adversely affect them.’ CIATTARELLI: ‘The president's doing exactly what he said he was going to do. I do think it's a grand experiment. Let's see how it goes. But again, my job is to advocate for 9.4, 9.5 million New Jerseyans. And if we think that these cuts are very, very, very harmful and state government can't pick up the slack, it's my job to speak up.’” [Jack Ciattarelli Interview – CBS New York: The Point, 3/9/25] (VIDEO)
2017: Ciattarelli Agreed That Rolling Back Medicaid Expansion Would Be Detrimental To New Jersey Residents, But Did Not Disavow The American Health Care Act Which Planned To Repeal And Replace The Affordable Care Act. According to The New York Observer, “When asked about the recent House victory of the American Health Care Act - the controversial GOP plan to repeal and replace President Barack Obama's Affordable Care Act - both Guadagno and Ciattarelli agreed that a health care plan that would rollback a 2013 Medicaid expansion signed by Christie would be detrimental to New Jersey residents. Under the GOP plan, 500,000 New Jerseyans and 24 million Americans who are Medicaid-dependent could lose coverage, according to an analysis of an earlier version of the legislation by the Congressional Budget Office. […] Ciattarelli withheld judgment on the AHCA due to the changes that will likely be made to the bill in the U.S. Senate. However, Ciattarelli did say that the next governor needs to work with the New Jersey congressional delegation to make sure that the state's working poor do not lose coverage.” [New York Observer, 5/9/17]