In South Jersey, Syeeba Palmer, a widow, earns too much to qualify for Medicaid coverage for her children, ages 2 and 5, because she receives $2,800 a month from her late husband’s Social Security. Ms. Palmer’s monthly mortgage payment is $2,400, she said. And since she was laid off from her job as a health insurance consultant several months ago, she said it cost an estimated $1,100 a month to continue to cover herself and her children. She decided not to get coverage for herself and to apply for New Jersey Family Care for the children.
“If I lose this insurance, there is no way I can afford it on my own,” she said.
Note the article doesn't mention any other income for Ms. Palmer, including unemployment even though she's been out of work "several months."
Note also the reporter just assumes that a $2400/month mortgage payment is perfectly fine. A quick Google search tells me that a $2400/month payment buys a house in the neighborhood of $380,000. That may very well be average for South Jersey, but you can't tell from reading the article.
