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NJCA in the News

"Picnic Will Support Health-Care Reform" (Suburban (Old Bridge • Sayreville) – June 25, 2009)

"Small Businesses Will Rally For Lower Health Care Costs" (NJBIZ – June 15, 2009)

"Groups Want New Jersey To Restore Immigrant Outreach Funds" (The Medical News – June 10, 2009)

"37% Of Foreign-Born Kids Uninsured In N.J." (Courier Post – June 10, 2009)

"Groups Want NJ To Restore Cuts To Immigrant Outreach" (Philadelphia Inquirer – June 10, 2009)

"Report Says N.J. Immigrant Children Are Behind In Health-Care Benefits" (Star-Ledger – June 9, 2009)

"Advocacy Groups Push For Immigrant Health Care Funding" (NJBIZ – June 9, 2009)

"Group Wants Cuts Restored For Immigrant Children" (Philadelphia Inquirer – June 9, 2009)

"We Cannot Allow Reform Of Health Care To Stall" (Daily Record – June 8, 2009)

"Insurance Plan From Uncle Sam?" (Montclair Times – June 4, 2009)

"Health Care Has Early Attention" (Gloucester County Times – May 24, 2009)

"Charlie Dent, Leonard Lance Among Moderate Republicans Opposed To Government-Run Health Care" (Express-Times – May 21, 2009)

"N.J. Senators Set To Fight For Budget Priorities" (Philadelphia Inquirer – May 18, 2009)

"Plan Would Cut Seniors' Rebates, Sparing Programs" (Star-Ledger – May 13, 2009)

"NJ Lawmakers Wants To Cut Rebate For Some Seniors" (Philly.com – May 13, 2009)

"Health Care Eating Into N.J. Incomes" (NorthJersey.com – May 12, 2009)

"Sen. Vitale Joins Chorus Protesting Budget Cuts To Health Care" (NJBIZ – May 12, 2009)

"Statehouse Press Conf. Sen Vitale & Advocates Oppose State Budget" (NewsBlaze – May 12, 2009)

"45 Centrist Democrats Protest Secrecy Of Health Care Talks" (The New York Times – May 12, 2009)

"Vitale Statement On Health Care Cuts In FY 2010 Budget" (PolitickerNJ – May 12, 2009)

"Guess Who's Coming To The White House" (The New Republic – May 12, 2009)

"Some Say Industry's Pledge To Cut Health Costs Won't Be Enough" (DailyMe – May 12, 2009)

"Specter Open To Public Health Plan" (Yahoo! News – May 11, 2009)

"Specter, Key 'Centrist' Dems Open To Public Health Care Plan" (The Huffington Post – May 11, 2009)

"Staying Home Easier Said Than Done" (The Times of Trenton – May 5, 2009)

"New Jersey Woodworker Crafts Health Care Reform Proposal For Congress" (Insurance & Financial Advisor – May 1, 2009)

"National Public Health Plan Is Needed" (Montclair Times – April 30, 2009)

"Small Biz Pushes For Health Reform" (WHYY News and Information – April 29, 2009 — both article and AUDIO NEWS INTERVIEW)

"NJ's Largest Health Plan" (WHYY News and Information – April 22, 2009 — both article and AUDIO NEWS INTERVIEW)

"Pallone Says Health Care Reform Coming In 2009" (Montclair Times – April 16, 2009)

"Horizon Should Be More Clear About Possible Conversion" (NJBIZ – April 13, 2009)

"Health Care System Holds Us Hostage" (Star-Ledger – April 9, 2009)

"Report Finds Health Insurance Gap In N.J." (Star-Ledger – April 7, 2009)

"An Unhealthy Crisis" (The Times of Trenton – April 7, 2009)

"Report: More NJ Residents Lacking Health Insurance" (Forbes – April 7, 2009)

"Pennsylvania, New Jersey Rally Seeks 'Bridge' To Health Care Reform" (News Dev Site – April 7, 2009)

"Activists March For Health Care Reform" (Bucks County Courier Times – April 5, 2009)

"Reform Advocates Plan Lobby Blitz" (Politico – March 31, 2009)

"2 NJ Hospitals Battle In Court Over 'Top Doc' Ads" (Forbes – March 29, 2009)

"Closing Remarks By The President At Health Care Forum Followed By Q&A" (Talking Points Memo – March 5, 2009)

"Fraying Safety Net: Insurer Of Last Resort Feeling Financial Pinch" (American Medical News – Issue of February 23, 2009)

"Bill Would Help Ensure NJ's Hospitals Are Safe" (MyCentralJersey.com – February 19, 2009

"The Real Cure For Small-Business Health" (The Times of Trenton – February 5, 2009)

"Health Care Now" (New York Times – January 30, 2009)

"Bill Requires State To Reveal Hospitals That Make Errors" (Star-Ledger – January 27, 2009)

"Seeking A Cure To Small Biz Health-Care" (Times of Trenton – January 25, 2009)

"Which Way To Universal Healthcare?" (In These Times – January 19, 2009)

"Workshop On Affordable Health Care To Be Held Saturday In New Brunswick" (Home News Tribune / MyCentralJersey.com – January 15, 2009)

"Citizens Invited to Participate in Health Care Planning" (Montgomery News – January 13, 2009)

"Will Horizon Conversion Benefit New Jersey Residents?" (The Cutting Edge / Mental Health Association in NJ — Issue of December 2008)

"Failing Health" (Asbury Park Press – December 24, 2008)

"To Their Health" (Burlington County Times – December 19, 2008)

"Bad And Good News On Hospital Errors" (Star-Ledger – December 18, 2008)

"Doctors Want Further Scrutiny Of Horizon For-Profit Conversion" (American Medical News – December 8, 2008)

"Ask The Right Questions About A Horizon Switch" (Star-Ledger – December 1, 2008)

"Horizon Disputes Watchdog's Concerns" (Daily Record – November 21, 2008)

"Watchdog Group Says Horizon Wants To Dump Medicaid" (Asbury Park Press – November 21, 2008)

"Rates Could Rise If Horizon Goes For-Profit " (NorthJersey.com – November 21, 2008)

"Coalition Calls For Close Watch On Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield" (Star-Ledger – November 21, 2008)

"Horizon, Watchdog Spar Over Medicaid's Future In Plan" (Asbury Park Press – November 20, 2008)

"Horizon Of NJ Denies It Plans To Drop Medicaid" (Daily Record – November 20, 2008)

"McCain, Obama Diverge Radically On Health Care" (The Record / NorthJersey.com – October 22, 2008)

"Will New Jersey Blues Filing Prompt For-Profit Rush?" (American Medical News – September 22/29, 2008)

"Blue Seeks The Green" (Asbury Park Press – September 21, 2008)

"Conyers And HCAN Agree In Principle: Health Reform Is On The Table" (Daily Kos – September 17, 2008)

"Castro: Providing Health Insurance For New Jersey's Kids" (The Record / NorthJersey.com – September 9, 2008)

"Horizon Bid Bad Medicine" (Asbury Park Press – August 20, 2008)

"Saxton Denies N.J. Kids The Health Care He Gets" (CourierPostOnline – July 25, 2008)

"Don't Conceal Medical Errors" (Asbury Park Press – July 22, 2008)

"Sen. Vitale Discusses Health-Care Plan" (Home News Tribune / MyCentralJersey.com – July 16, 2008)

"Health Care Coverage For All, But At What Cost?" (NJBIZ – July 14, 2008)

"New Jersey Launch: Health Care For America: NOW!" (Blue Jersey – July 13, 2008)

"Healthcare Advocates Kick Off Multi-City Campaign For Accessible Care" (Press of Atlantic City – July 8, 2008)

"Advocates Vow $40M To Push For Health Care" (Daily Record – July 9, 2008)

"Health Care Advocates Unite" (CourierPostOnline – July 9, 2008

"New Group Demands Health Care Reform" (New York Times – July 8, 2008)

"Coalition To Lobby For US Health-Care Reform" (Reuters – July 8, 2008)

"Alliance Launches $40M Campaign For Universal Health Care" (Asbury Park Press – July 8, 2008)

"Corzine Signs Bill To Widen N.J. Health Care As National Effort Kicks Off" (Press of Atlantic City – July 9, 2008)

"Alliance Launches $40M Campaign For Universal Health Care" (Daily Record – July 8, 2008)

"Organization Calls For Quality Affordable Healthcare For All Americans" (NBC News Channel 40 – July 8, 2008)

"Q&A On Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield Conversion" (Star-Ledger – June 25, 2008)

"Health Coverage For All Kids Makes Fiscal Sense" (Asbury Park Press – June 8, 2008)

"Corzine's Budget Hits Camden Hard" (Philadelphia Inquirer – May 26, 2008)

"Plan To Mandate Health Insurance For NJ Kids Advances" (Asbury Park Press – May 16, 2008)

"Employers Pay More For Health Insurance" (CourierPostOnline – April 30, 2008)

"Poor May Face Co-Payments For ER Visits" (The Record / NorthJersey.com – April 28, 2008)

"Health Care Tops Agenda Of Reform Lobbying Day" (New Jersey Jewish News – April 3, 2008)

"New Jersey To Consider Health Plan To Cover All" (New York Times – March 18, 2008)

"Senator Crafting Plan To Provide Health Insurance To All New Jersey Residents" (Insurance & Financial Adivsor – March 13, 2008)

"Senator To Unveil N.J. Health Care Plan" (Daily Journal – February 25, 2008)

"No Health Insurance — Universal Coverage Law Proposed" (Asbury Park Press – February 24, 2008

"Healthcare Reform In New Jersey To Receive Boost" (Plain Dealer – February 21, 2008)

"New Jersey Lawmakers Hold Conference To Discuss State Health Care Reform" (Kaiser Network – November 15, 2007)

"Losing Vitale-ity?" (NJ.com – November 14, 2007)

"Seeking N.J. Health Care Relief" (Bergen Record – November 14, 2007)

"If N.J. Is A Patient, Call The Doctor" (Bergen Record – November 6, 2007)

"Comparison Shopping For Prescription Drugs Comes To New Jersey" (Herald News – October 29, 2007)

"Saxton Remains Steadfast On SCHIP Issue" (Burlington County Times – October 17, 2007)

"Activists" (Madison Independent Press – October 10, 2007)

"Corzine Urges Congress To Back Child Health Program" (Philadelphia Inquirer – September 25, 2007)

"Court Rejects Vioxx Class Suit" (Star-Ledger – September 7, 2007)

"Moore Wearing Scarlet" (Home News Tribune – June 29, 2007)

"Medicaid Recipients Win With Copays Dropped From Budget" (Asbury Park Press – June 21, 2007)

"Jewish Leaders Join Rally Against Medicaid Cuts" (New Jersey Jewish News – June 14, 2007)

"Lawmakers Plead For Funding For Uninsured Health Care" (Asbury Park Press – May 1, 2007)

"Senate Urged To Alter Part D" (Herald News – April 18, 2007)

"Hospital Loans May Be Illegal, Court Rules" (Bergen Record – April 10, 2007)

"Bush Put Needed Spotlight On Health-Care Access" (CourierPostOnline – January 28, 2007)

"Bush Health Plan Won't Do" (Star-Ledger – January 25, 2007)

"It's Time To Cram For 'Part D' Exam" (Kansas City Star – October 29, 2006)

"Bush Touts Kean Jr.'s Character, Morals" (Courier News – September 7, 2006)

"Comparison Shopping For Prescription Drugs Coming Soon To New Jersey" (West Milford Messenger – August 29, 2006)

"A New Tool To Search For Cheapest Medicine" (Star-Ledger – August 22, 2006)

"N.J. Web Site For Drug Costs Approved" (Philadelphia Inquirer – August 22, 2006)

"Corzine Approves Drug Cost Web Site" (CourierPostOnline – August 22, 2006)

"Drug Prices To Be Posted Online Under New N.J. Law" (Asbury Park Press – August 22, 2006)

"State To Compare Drug Prices Online" (Press of Atlantic City – August 22, 2006)

"Prescription Drug Prices To Be Posted" (Bergen Record – August 22, 2006)

"Legislation Adds Dose Of Competition" (Home News Tribune – August 22, 2006)

"Comparison Shopping For Prescription Drugs Coming Soon To NJ" (Newsday – August 21, 2006)

"Governor Corzine Signs Drug Registry Into Law" (WFMZ-TV 69 News – includes VIDEO CLIP – August 21, 2006)

"N.J. To Use Web To Help Consumer Compare Drug Prices" (NBC 10 – August 21, 2006)

"Px Comparison Shopping Coming Soon To NJ" (Houston Chronicle – August 21, 2006)

"Doughnut Hole In Medicare Rx Coverage Could Have Political Implications In Congressional Elections" (Medical News Today – July 31, 2006)

"Part D Drug Plan" (NBC News Channel 40 Atlantic City – July 26, 2006)

"Time To Get Up And Fill The Doughnut" (Herald News – July 14, 2006)

"Medicare 'Doughnut Hole' Eating Seniors' Cash" (The Record – July 13, 2006)

"Medicare Gap Hits Seniors In The Wallet" (Star-Ledger – July 13, 2006)

"New Jersey Assembly Approves Bill To Create Database Of Retail Prescription Drug Prices" (Kaiser Network – June 12, 2006)

"Bill Aids Comparison Shopping For Prescription Drugs" (Star-Ledger – June 9, 2006)

"Drug-Price Web Site" (Press of Atlantic City – May 31, 2006)

"Prescription Drug Comparison Shopping May Come To New Jersey" (Newsday – May 24, 2006)

NOTE: Read earlier Quality Health Care For All news articles at NJCA in the News. NEW! Also read All Health Care News.

Quality Health Care for All Campaign

NJ For Health Care Website  
NJ HCAN

For more information on health care reform, visit the separate NJ For Health Care site.

To make NJCA's Quality Health Care For All Campaign more readable, we have created a new page focused on the many activities of New Jersey Health Care for America Now (NJ HCAN).

New Reports! See Additional Resources (below) for reports by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, The Lewin Group, Jacob Hacker, Sen. Max Baucus, and more.

ImageTAKE ACTION to Win Health Care Reform in 2009! Click on each Event for details.

Victory!!

Funding for NJ FamilyCare RESTORED in NJ's FY2010 State Budget!

ImageGovernor Corzine announced, on June 29, 2009, that the proposed $9 million cut to NJ FamilyCare (which would have cut back enrollment for parents between 150% — 200% of poverty) has been restored. This news is a direct result of all the amazing work our coalition has done in the last few weeks. Not only did we stop the proposed cutback to FamilyCare, but the program has been improved with the elimination of premiums for all children below 200% of poverty.

Thank you all for your hard work on this critical issue and congratulations to all! A special shout-out to our friends at AARP for their gutsy and out-spoken position, willing to give up their members homestead rebate (for seniors making between $100,000 — $150,000/year) in order to keep FamilyCare open to hard-working families.

We also thank Senator Vitale for his strong and outspoken support, Assemblyman Greenwald, Governor Corzine and Members of the Legislature who helped make this critical restoration possible.

Coming Soon! NJ Citizen Action will be releasing a press statement.

More Information

ImageFor your reference, here are selected earlier resources:

The NJ For Health Care Campaign calls on New Jersey policymakers to OPPOSE proposals in New Jersey's Fiscal Year 2010 State Budget to roll back enrollment of parents between 150 and 200 percent of the federal poverty level (FPL) in the NJ FamilyCare Program, and to implement co-payments for Medicaid recipients and people in the AIDS Drug Distribution Program (ADDP).

The NJ For Health Care Coalition delivered a letter to all Members of the New Jersey State Legislature on Wednesday, May 6, 2009 urging Members to oppose proposals to cutback funding for FamilyCare, Medicaid and the ADDP. Read the letters to the NJ Senate and the Assembly.

The NJ For Health Care Coalition and NJ Coalition For A Moral Budget were joined by NJ State Senator Joseph Vitale (D-Middlesex), Chair of the NJ Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee for a Press Conference on Tuesday, May 12 at 11:00 a.m. in Room 109 of the Trenton Statehouse calling on Members of the NJ Legislature to restore funding to these critical programs that serve our state's most vulnerable residents.

ImageNew Report! On Tuesday, June 9, 2009 the NJ for Health Care Campaign held a TelePress Conference to release a new report by the Rutgers Center for State Health Policy (CHSP) titled "State Practices in Health Coverage for Immigrants: A Report for New Jersey" (June 2009).

Based on key findings in the Report, NJ For Health Care called on State policymakers to restore $1 million for outreach and enrollment funding for NJ FamilyCare in NJ's Fiscal Year 2010 State Budget and recommend that NJ implement more effective outreach and enrollment strategies based on successful practices in states such as New York and Massachusetts including more partnerships with local and community-based organizations, more investment of meaningful financial resources, and the creation of user-friendly one-stop website.

News Coverage:

With record high unemployment, thousands of New Jersey residents are losing their jobs and health care for themselves and their families. In December 2008 and January 2009 alone, it is estimated that 650 New Jersey residents a day lost their health coverage. Given the current economic climate, it is absolutely the wrong time to freeze enrollment in NJ FamilyCare for low income working parents or implement co-payments for those who can least afford them.To Top

Take Action Now!

Proposed Conversion of Horizon BCBS of New Jersey

ImageSupport S-2532 / A-3729 — Legislation to Ensure Necessary Transparency, Consumer Protection and Public Participation in the Conversion Process

On August 15, 2008, Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey, the State's largest, and only non-profit, health insurer, filed an application with the NJ Department of Banking and Insurance (DOBI) and the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) to convert to become a for-profit insurance company. Horizon's latest bid to convert raises numerous concerns relative to the health of NJ consumers and taxpayers.

NJ needs to know what impact conversion will have on the health status of all NJ residents including access to quality and affordable health care for underserved and vulnerable members of our communities, children, seniors, low and moderate income families, disabled residents and those with chronic illnesses.

S-2532 (Weinberg) and A-3729 (Vainieri-Huttle) protects consumers three important ways:

  1. Requires the State to hire an independent expert to conduct a fairness analysis evaluating the impact of the proposed conversion on the health status of all NJ residents. The fairness analysis allows the State to make a sound judgment regarding whether conversion is in the public interest as required by NJ law.

  2. Requires the State to hold a minimum of four public hearings, with at least one hearing each in the northern and southern regions of the State and at least two in the central region of the State, giving the public adequate opportunity to have a voice in the conversion process.

  3. Allows interested parties and those directly affected by the proposed conversion to apply for intervenor status so that concerns about the public health impacts and the protection of nonprofit assets are raised and addressed.

Take Action! CLICK HERE to Email Your Legislators and Urge them to Support and Co-Sponsor S-2532 / A-3729.

CLICK HERE for More About the Proposed Conversion of Horizon, the NJ Horizon Watch Coalition, and S-2532 / A-3729

ImageThe NJ Horizon Watch Coalition is a broad-based alliance of over 20 health care, consumer, labor, senior, faith-based, student, disability, civil rights and social justice organizations working to ensure that the proposed conversion of Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield, from a non-profit to for-profit insurer, takes place in accordance with both the spirit and full letter of the law.

The NJ Horizon Watch Coalition is also working to ensure that the public's interest is adequately represented, promoted and served, especially for low and moderate income individuals and families who are likley to have difficulty finding affordable health insurance.

Join the NJ Horizon Watch CoalitionTo Top

The Physician Payments Sunshine Act

ImageThe Physician Payments Sunshine Act (S.301), introduced by Senators Kohl (D-WI) and Grassley (R-IA), would bring much needed transparency to the financial relationships that exist between drug and medical device companies and the medical profession by requiring all pharmaceutical, medical device, biotech companies and their subsidiaries to disclose all payments to physicians after reaching a $100 aggregate into a public online database.

Physicians write more than two billion prescriptions a year, an average of seven for every American. To capture these sales, the pharmaceutical industry spent $20.4 billion in marketing during 2007. Expenditures directed at physicians totaled $7.2 billion in 2005 (excluding pharmaceutical samples). An undisclosed portion of that budget is spent on direct payments to physicians in the form of gifts, food, continuing medical education, travel, and consultancy fees.

While pharmaceuticals and medical devices play a critical role in patient care, undisclosed gifts such as consulting payments, speaking fees, classes, and meals can inappropriately influence medical decisions and create conflicts of interest. Increased transparency of gifts and financial relationships will allow the government and the public to make informed decisions about prescription drug and medical device use.

Numerous reports have demonstrated that aggressive marketing tactics can exert undue influence on prescribing. Drug companies alone spend at least $25 billion per year marketing to doctors. Not only is this a huge driver of drug costs, but published evidence clearly shows that marketing spending shifts doctors toward higher cost and sometimes less-safe drugs.

Resources

NEW REPORT!

Health Reform: The Cost of Failure

ImageOn May 21, 2009, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), along with New Jersey Citizen Action and the NJ Citizen Action Education Fund released a report, "Health Reform: The Cost of Failure."

It projects that if federal health care reform efforts are not enacted soon, within 10 years the cost of health care for businesses could double and the number of uninsured Americans could reach 66 million — with middle-income families hardest hit. The report was conducted by researchers from the Urban Institute in Washington, D.C. Read the Press Release, Statement, and full report.To Top

Americans at Risk: One in Three Uninsured

ReportThe Uninsured: A Closer Look
State-Specific Report by Families USA

Every year, the U.S. Census Bureau — in its Current Population Survey (CPS) — reports the number of people who are uninsured. This widely quoted number is intended to offer an estimate of how many people did not have any type of health insurance at any point in time during the previous calendar year.

There are many people, however, who are uninsured for a portion of a year but not for the entire year. Though these individuals may suffer severe consequences to their health and their economic well-being as a result of being uninsured, they are not included in the Census Bureau's number.

In March 2009, Families USA released a new report, Americans at Risk: One in Three Uninsured, which was designed to provide a comprehensive picture of how many Americans were directly affected by the lack of health coverage in 2007-2008. That report contains national data, as well as a detailed discussion of the methodology.

On April 7, 2009 Families USA released a NJ State-Specific Report showing that:

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Report "At the Brink: Trends in America's Uninsured 1994–2007"

ReportNEW! With Congress and the Obama administration discussing how to reform the nation's health care system, this new report looks at what has happened since the last significant reform effort ended in 1994 without any comprehensive congressional action. At the Brink: Trends in America's Uninsured 1994-2007 chronicles state-by-state health coverage trends. The report finds that over the last 15 years, nearly every state has seen increased numbers of uninsured residents, greater costs for workers while their incomes are flat, and significant erosion of private coverage.

"NEXT STEP: Health Care" NJ Report

ReportNJ Health Care for America Now Coalition has released a new report, "NEXT STEP: Health Care" (link to complete report), showing that we cannot solve New Jersey's economic and fiscal crisis without National Health Care Reform in 2009.

The report lays out exactly how skyrocketing health care costs are busting New Jersey's state and local government budgets, crippling businesses, and making it hard for families to afford the health care they need to make ends meet. "NEXT STEP: Health Care" was released on February 23, 2009, by NJ Citizen Action, the NJ Health Care for America Now (HCAN) Campaign, Rutgers AAUP-AFT, the Statewide Parent Advocacy Network, New Jersey SEIU and the Health Professionals and Allied Employees. Read our Media Release.To Top

New Report: Without Reform, Health Costs Will Double

ImageEconomic Recovery Bill and Broader Health Reform Urgently Needed

Without action from Congress, premiums and deductibles for residents of New Jersey with employer provided insurance will nearly double by 2016, according to a new report released on January 28, 2009 by the New Jersey Public Interest Research Group (NJPIRG). Read an executive summary of the report, and download the complete Health Care in Crisis (4.8 MB PDF).

"Unchecked, health care premiums will double by 2016," said NJPIRG Advocate Jacob Koetsier, "The health care reforms in President Obama's economic recovery plan are indispensable first steps to addressing this crisis."

New Jersey PIRG attributes these high costs to wasteful health spending and the insurance and pharmaceutical industries that profit from it. The report concludes that one out of three dollars spent on health care fuels profits for special interests without delivering better health care for patients.

The report spotlights two important categories of wasteful health spending in New Jersey:

Koetsier lauds the recovery plan's $24.1 billion investment in the health care infrastructure. Koetsier states, "This legislation funding of health information technology, evidence-based prevention, and comparative effectiveness research will enable reforms which we discuss in the report."

New Jersey Citizen Action, a state-wide watchdog group, agreed with the NJPIRG assessment, "It is crucial to address the rising cost of health care in New Jersey and across the country, and to make substantive healthcare reform a part of the economic recovery package, said Leo Torrey of NJCA. He added, "Lowering healthcare cost will bring much needed relief to all Americans."

The U.S. PIRG report calls for additional longer-term reforms that crack down on drug company marketing, rein in insurance industry red tape, and reform provider payment to encourage more effective medical care.

"This year, a new President and a new Congress have an opportunity to pass broad health reform that tames the waste, inefficiency, and skewed incentives that drive up our health care costs," noted Koetsier. "New Jersey's families can't afford to miss this opportunity."

For more information, contact Jacob Koetsier at 609-394-8155 ext. 313. New Jersey PIRG is a statewide, nonprofit non partisan citizen-based advocacy organization.To Top

Core Principles

Health Care is a Right, Not a Market Commodity

New Jersey, like our country, faces a growing health care crisis, with more than 1.3 million residents uninsured and tens of thousands of others with inadequate coverage. The skyrocketing cost of coverage creates enormous pressure for families, businesses and our entire economy. New Jersey must address this crisis by taking bold action and setting an example for the nation.

DemonstrationMany current health care reform proposals are inadequate solutions to the health care crisis because they view health care as any other commodity subject to the laws of supply and demand. True health care reform will occur only when access to quality health care – like access to fire protection, police protection, and elementary and secondary education – is a right of all Americans, not a product that is available only to those who can afford it. Government's role is to guarantee quality affordable health care for everyone and must play a central role in regulating, financing, and providing health coverage.

The New Jersey Health Care Reform Campaign supports the creation of a state-wide universal health care system that incorporates the following principles.

  1. Guaranteed Access to Affordable, Comprehensive Health Care for All New Jerseyans.
  2. Improves the Quality of Care for All New Jerseyans.
  3. Shared Responsibility.
  4. Reduce and Contain Costs to Assure Affordable Coverage.
  5. Preventive Care

Download a copy of these Core Principles with additional details.To Top

New Jersey For Health Care Campaign

DemonstrationOn Tuesday, April 29, 2008 a diverse alliance of organizations from across the state joined together at the Trenton Statehouse to announce the New Jersey for Health Care Campaign, a new initiative dedicated to finding a long-term solution to the health care crisis facing NJ and the nation. The NJ for Health Care Campaign is advancing a bold agenda for comprehensive statewide health care reform that will serve as a model for the nation. Read the Media Release.

The New Jersey for Health Care Campaign is made up of a broad-based alliance of health care, consumer, senior, student, disability, women's, labor, faith-based, civil rights and social justice organizations working to bring guaranteed, high quality, affordable health care to all New Jersey residents. See a complete list of organizations in the NJ for Health Care Campaign.

The NJ for Health Care Campaign continues to build strong alliances with other patient, health care, and social service agencies.

Download and Read:

On Friday, October 10, 2008, the NJ For Health Care Campaign launched a new website — njforhealthcare.org — which will provide New Jerseyans with comprehensive information and resources on health care reform efforts at the state and national level, up-to-date news articles and press releases, a story-bank for New Jerseyans to share personal accounts of insurance company horror stories, opportunities to take action and the ability for both individuals and organizations to join the NJ For Health Care Campaign in working to make high quality, affordable health care a reality for all hard-working NJ families. Read the full Media Release — and visit njforhealthcare.org!

Take Action! Join the New Jersey For Health Care Campaign

Organizations: Sign the 2008 Endorsement Form.

Individuals: Sign the Health Care Voter Pledge Card.

Pledge your support for:

For more information, contact Eve Weissman at 856-966-3091 or eve@njcitizenaciton.org.To Top

ImageNew! The NJ Main Street Alliance brings together hundreds of small business owners who want real health care reform! Small businesses are the heart of New Jersey's economy and the heart of our communities. NJ businesses with fewer than 100 employees employed 1.3 million workers in 2005 — 37 percent of the state's private sector jobs, above the national average. No one knows as well as small business owners do how badly our health care system is broken. Small businesses are routinely left vulnerable to the premium hikes, benefit cuts, coverage denials and administrative nightmares that are commonplace in the health care system today. Join united small business owners across the state coming together to fix the broken health care system. Learn more about the NJ Main Street Alliance.To Top

Release of Our National Survey Report: Taking the Pulse of Main Street

ReportOn January 15, 2009, at the Trenton Statehouse, the NJ Main Street Alliance released its national survey report, Taking the Pulse of Main Street: Small Businesses, Health Insurance, and Priorities for Reform (7.4MB download).

This report was conducted on nearly 1,200 small business owners and self-employed individuals in 12 states throughout the country. It focuses on small business owners' perspective on health care — their current health care experiences and preferred methods of reform.

For more information please contact: Crystal Snedden, Small Business Organizer, crystals@njcitizenaction.org or 973-643-8800 Ext. 31. To Top

Take Action!

Conduct a Health Care Affordability Session in Your Neighborhood!

PIggybankHow much can YOU Afford to Spend on Health Care?

Host an Affordability Session at your church, synagogue, mosque, senior or community center, or with friends and neighbors.

For more information, contact NJCA Organizer Leo Torrey at 856-966-3091 ext. 205 or leo@njcitizenaction.org.To Top

Greater Disclosure of Medical Errors

ImageNearly 100,000 Americans die each year from Preventable Medical Errors. In recent years, according to the NJ Department of Health, almost 100 died in New Jersey — but we don't know where. You can help!

Take Action! Call the AARP health care quality hotline at 1-800-844-2272 and urge Health Commissioner Heather Howard to make this important medical information public.

Preventable Medical Errors (PMEs) are avoidable mistakes that result in serious injury or even death. All too many New Jerseyans have experienced the terrible effects of preventable medical errors. However, in New Jersey, consumers are being denied the right to know where these errors are occurring.

For more information, read NEW! "Charlie Dent, Leonard Lance Among Moderate Republicans Opposed To Government-Run Health Care" (Express-Times – May 21, 2009), "Vitale-Sweeney-Weinberg Bill To Publicize Hospital Errors Approved In Assembly" (PolitickerNJ – May 21, 2009), the editorial "Don't Conceal Medical Errors" in the Asbury Park Press and view the AARP Video News Release, which sheds light on the horrors of PMEs and calls for Health Commissioner Heather Howard to release to the public each NJ hospital's safety record. Please take action today.

You have the right to know where Preventable Medical Errors are occurring in New Jersey. Please call 1-800-844-2272 and ask Commissioner Heather Howard to release the numbers by health care facility! To Top

Support Children's Health Insurance – SCHIP

graphicThe State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), enacted with bi-partisan support a decade ago as part of the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 (BBA), is designed to build on Medicaid by providing insurance to low-income children who are uninsured, but ineligible for Medicaid. New Jersey's SCHIP program is called NJ FamilyCare.

After two presidential vetoes and days before the program was scheduled to run out, Congress extended the SCHIP program until March 2009. The legislation includes just enough money to sustain the program at its current level and keep the approximately 6 million children in SCHIP from losing their health coverage. Unfortunately, there is no funding to cover uninsured children who are eligible for the program but not enrolled.

The extension was contained in a large health care bill called the Medicare, Medicaid and SCHIP Extension Act of 2007. Taken as a whole, this bill is both a disappointment and a promise for more health care action in future years. For example, the bill does not address the Bush administration's harmful directive to limit SCHIP eligibility to families who make less than 250 percent of the federal poverty level. Overturning this wrong-headed policy is a top priority for advocates.

As the number of uninsured children continues to rise, SCHIP will not be able to support current program levels or expand coverage to cover more uninsured children without additional federal funding.

The NJ For Health Care Campaign supports full funding for SCHIP and opposes the President's veto of funding for critical human needs. NJ for Health Care calls on New Jersey's entire congressional delegation to support proposals to increase funds for SCHIP and to pay for SCHIP expansion by eliminating over-payments to Medicare Advantage Plans (private Medicare plans paid for on the backs of taxpayers and seniors).

Feds Back Down on Bad Policy

DoctorRestrictive new rules promulgated by the Bush administration through an August 17, 2007 directive issued by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) would have impeded New Jersey's ability to provide health insurance for thousands of low-income children have been put on hold.

If enforced, the rules would likley compel New Jersey to reduce the amount of income a family could make and still be eligible for coverage from FamilyCare. In response to opposition to these rules from New Jersey, other states and many national organizations, CMS issued a statement saying it will not take any compliance action "at this time."

While any delay in these rules is a good thing, CMS could still decide to implement them later. This threat could have a chilling effect on the State's effort to insure all children as required in recently passed state legislation. It also leaves unclear whether New Jersey will receive all the federal funds necessary to operate FamilyCare through the fiscal year. The State of NJ has sued the federal government on this issue and is awaiting a summary decision from the court.

New Jersey Citizen Action, New Jersey Appleseed Public Interest Law Center, Alliance for the Betterment of Citizens with Disabilities (ABCD), Alliance for Disabled in Action (ADA), BlueWaveNJ, Catholic Charities Diocese of Trenton, CWA Local 1034, CWA Local 1037, the Elder Rights Alliance of NJ, Family Voices of NJ, Health Care for All/NJ, Health Professionals and Allied Employees (HPAE), National Association of Social Workers (NASW) of NJ, National Organization for Women (NOW)—Morris County Chapter, Next Step (incorporated as People with Disabilities for Social and Economic Justice), the Statewide Parent Advocacy Network (SPAN), and the Workmen's Circle/Arbeter Ring NJ Region have submitted an amicus brief in support of the State's Complaint. Read the amicus brief.

CMS Directive

The directive issued on August 17, 2007 by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services would severely limit the ability of NJ and other states to insure all children through the current SCHIP program as well as expand coverage by offering full-cost buy-ins to those with incomes above 350% FPL. The CMS directive would:

New Jersey has a lot at stake. Over 124,000 previously uninsured, low-income children are currently covered under the New Jersey's SCHIP program known as FamilyCare, which constitutes the State's primary mechanism to ensure comprehensive health insurance for children residing in New Jersey.

It remains important for anyone concerned about this issue to keep New Jersey's congressional delegation informed about the serious consequences of denying health coverage to children in working families already struggling with rising energy and food costs.

Resources

Victory!

NJ Prescription Drug Pricing Registry Website Launched

Governor Jon Corzine (center) with Paulette Eberle, Co-Chair of NJCA's Board of Directors, and Mike Olender, NJCA Regional Organizer, and supporters of the Prescription Drug Price RegistryThe Rx Drug Registry, for which NJCA successfully lobbied, has officially been launched by the New Jersey Department of Consumer Affairs. Now consumers are able to easily search for drugs by entering the drug name, dosage, and their zip code.

With drug prices varying by as much as 25% from store to store, the registry will help those without prescription drug coverage, including those stuck in the "donut hole" of the new Part D prescription drug program. NJCA was instrumental in helping draft the legislation and lobbyied on its behalf. See our press release. Search the Rx Drug Registry to find the most affordable prices.
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