At Zufall Health, we relentlessly remove barriers to care. This work is meaningful, but as Insurance Enrollment Coordinator Maria Cardona Vigoya knows, it is rarely straightforward.

Cardona Vigoya, who initially joined Zufall in 2016 as a Patient Representative before spending a few years with Community Outreach, has since 2020 been part of the small but mighty Insurance Enrollment team. Through this state grant-funded program, she helps eligible Zufall patients and community members apply for and maintain Medicaid and NJ Health Insurance Marketplace coverage. During the program’s most recently completed grant period, nearly 3,400 individuals received help from her team.

As a first-generation American, Cardona Vigoya knows firsthand how a lack of information can prevent people from accessing resources. That experience fuels her passion for helping others navigate the health care system.

Still, she acknowledges that not every challenge has an easy solution. “It’s not uncommon for there to be issues with eligibility, documentation, or system limitations that delay or prevent coverage,” she explains.

Complicating matters is that policies are always changing. Sometimes, they’re for the better, says Cardona Vigoya, like the 2023 enactment of Cover All Kids, which expanded Medicaid eligibility to all income-qualifying NJ residents under age 19 regardless of immigration status. On the other hand, she is concerned about the changes to Medicaid set to take effect in October 2026 and January 2027. She is working with Operations leadership to understand their implications and prepare.

“There is a great deal of anxiety about losing coverage, especially for patients with complex medical conditions,” she says. “Our team is committed to helping patients understand their options and supporting them through whatever changes lie ahead.”

Zufall Health offers assistance with enrollment in qualified health plans through NJ’s Health Insurance Marketplace at Get Covered NJ and NJ FamilyCare (Medicaid). Certified Insurance Enrollment Specialists are available to answer questions about insurance options and to help with applications for insurance. Learn more.