Murphy says he'd consider emergency action to save Obamacare for N.J.

Gov.-elect Phil Murphy said Wednesday he plans to examine New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo's efforts to preserve health insurance coverage for residents of his state as a model for New Jersey if parts of the Affordable Care Act are repealed under a new Republican tax bill in Congress.

"We've gotta look at that," Murphy, a Democrat, told reporters at Healthcare.gov open enrollment event in Newark. "I think we have to assume that everything is on the table."

In June, Cuomo issued emergency regulations requiring any private insurer to guarantee the 10 "essential health benefits" offered under Obamacare, and blocking any insurer that withdraws from New York's health insurance exchange from participating in Medicaid or its children's health plan.

But Murphy was adamant that his first priority should be to pressure Congress to preserve the individual mandate to buy health insurance that serves as the Affordable Care Act's linchpin.

"Make no mistake," said the governor-elect. "There's almost nothing the state can do to replace the federal government."

 The current tax reform bill in the U.S. Senate also threatens to slash health insurance for the 900,000 New Jerseyans who've gained access to health care under Obamacare by scrapping the the individual mandate requiring people to buy health insurance through a Medicaid exchange or pay a penalty.The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimates a repeal of the Obamacare insurance purchase mandate would increase premiums by 10 percent and result in 13 million fewer people with insurance.