8. a. The Department of Labor and Workforce Development shall implement a system through which an individual who has filed a claim for unemployment insurance benefits may, as part of the claim filing application, indicate that the individual is interested in obtaining minimum essential coverage and consent to the sharing of relevant information collected by the Department of Labor and Workforce Development with the Department of Banking and Insurance and the Department of Human Services to determine whether the individual qualifies for the State Medicaid program or the NJ FamilyCare Program, or any other insurance affordability assistance and to support minimum essential coverage outreach and enrollment efforts. If an individual indicates that the individual is interested in obtaining minimum essential coverage and consents to share information pursuant to this subsection, then the Department of Labor and Workforce Development shall notify the Department of Banking and Insurance, which may assess or determine, as appropriate, eligibility for insurance affordability assistance or make, or refer to the Department of Human Services to make, an assessment or determination, as appropriate, of eligibility for the State Medicaid program or the NJ FamilyCare Program.

b. The Department of Labor and Workforce Development shall enter into an agreement with the Department of Banking and Insurance and the Department of Human Services, before the system described in subsection a. of this section begins to operate, that enables the system to operate in compliance with all applicable State and federal requirements related to privacy, data security, and funding.

c. The consent request described in subsection a. of this section shall be prominently placed on the claim filing application in clear and understandable language that is easy to read.

d. The Department of Labor and Workforce Development shall cooperate with the Department of Banking and Insurance and the Department of Human Services to claim the maximum amount of available federal funding for the establishment and operation of the system established pursuant to this section.

e. To facilitate the most efficient implementation of the system, the Commissioner of Banking and Insurance, the Commissioner of Human Services, and the Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development may enter into agreements, adopt regulations and guidelines, establish accounts, conduct trainings, provide public information, educate tax preparers, and take any other steps as may be necessary to accomplish the purpose of the system.

L.2022, c.39, s.8.