New Jersey

The NJ 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.

We are working to build strong alliances with patients, providers, small and large businesses and health care and social service agencies across the State.

• Read the NJ For Health Care Core Principles.
• See a complete list of organizations in the NJ For Health Care Campaign.

Join Us!

Get involved! Whether you are an individual, organization, or business owner help make guaranteed access to high quality, affordable health care a reality for all New Jerseyans.

On this New Jersey page:

TAKE ACTION! Override the Governor's Veto — Restore FamilyCare & Family Planning
What Next? Making It Work for New Jersey
NJ For Health Care Opposes Governor Christie’s Cuts to FamilyCare and Charity Care
New Jersey's Under 31 Insurance Law
"New Report Shows How Much New Jersey Families Can Afford to Spend on Health Care"
"New Report: The Right Rx for NJ — National Health Care Reform"
"State Practices in Health Coverage for Immigrants: A Report for New Jersey"
NJ FamilyCare RESTORED in NJ's FY2010 State Budget!
Recent History: Health Care Reform in New Jersey
Preventable Medical Errors
NJ FamilyCare
Prescription Drugs

TAKE ACTION! Override the Governor's Veto — Restore FamilyCare & Family Planning

Governor Christie has vetoed two bills that would have restored funding for parent enrollment in NJ FamilyCare (S2134/A3020) and full funding for women's health and family planning (S2139/A3018).

We cannot allow the Governor to balance the budget by sacrificing the health of New Jersey. Especially in these difficult economic times, when the needs of our state's families are increasing — we cannot and should not eliminate these vital health care programs. Please write your state legislators today and tell them to override the Governor's veto and restore funding to NJ FamilyCare and Family Planning!

TAKE ACTION! Click here to tell your state legislators to OVERRIDE the Governor's veto.

What Next? Making It Work for New Jersey

A Statewide Health Care Implementation Conference

Thank you for attending the Health Care Implementation Conference on June 8, 2010 and making it a huge success! Special thanks to Community Catalyst, all the panelists, our planning committee, and all the conference participants — your breadth of knowledge, diversity, thoughtful questions, and feedback made this a truly dynamic and substantive event.

Now that we have set the stage for implementation in our state, it is time to roll up our sleeves and get the work done. Please join us in taking the next steps to support implementation by joining our NJ for Health Care Coalition. With your help we can ensure that our state maximizes the benefits available to us through the federal health reform law. Please sign on to the NJ for Health Care coalition to get more involved.

News Coverage: "Young Adults Get Big Benefit Under New Health Care Law" (The Record / NorthJersey.com — June 10, 2010) and "How Controversial Federal Healthcare Law Will Affect Garden State" (NJ Spotlight — June 9, 2010).

Materials from Conference

Download all materials, from all six sections, in a single 4 MB zip file. Also, you can download each individual document below.

Table of Contents

At-A-Glance Agenda: WHAT NEXT? Making it Work for New Jersey, A Statewide Health Care Reform Implementation Conference (download)

SECTION ONE
National Health Care Reform: What does it mean for New Jersey, and what comes next?

1. Community Catalyst, PPT presentation (June 2010). "National Health Care Reform: What does it mean for New Jersey, and what comes next?" (download)
2. Community Catalyst (March 2010). "Summary of National Health Care Reform Legislation and Reconciliation Amendment." (download)
3. The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation (April, 2010). "Focus on Health Reform: Health Reform Implementation Timeline." (download)
   
4. Community Catalyst (June 2010). What National Health Care Reform Means for New Jersey (download)
   
5. Star Ledger (March 2010). "NJ Tea Party Protest on 'unchecked' government, health care bill in New Jersey." (download)
   
6. Statehouse Bureau (April 15, 2010). "NJ Tea Party searching for political control, unified message" (download)
   
7. Community Catalyst (April 2010). "Quick Wins: Who Will Be Helped Right Away By the New Health Care Reform Law?" (download)
   
8. Community Catalyst (May 2010). "Health Care Reform Will Secure Coverage and Improve Quality of Care." (download)

SECTION TWO
Implementing Reform in New Jersey

1. National Academy for State Health Policy (November 2009). "A State Policymakers' Guide To Federal Health Reform: Part I: Anticipating How Federal Health Reform Will Affect State Roles." (download)
   
2. National Academy for State Health Policy (November 2009). "Briefing: Supporting State Policymakers' Implementation of Federal Health Reform." (download)
   
3. New Jersey Policy Perspective (February 2010). "Estimated Impact of Health Reform Bills Passed by the House and Senate on New Jersey" (download)
   
4. New Jersey for Health Care (May 2010). "Establishing a High Risk Pool for New Jersey" (download)

SECTION THREE
National Health Reform and Cost-Quality: How Can New Jersey Utilize the New Reforms to Move the State Health Care Agenda?

1. Community Catalyst, PPT presentation (May 2010). "Delivery System Change in Health Reform: Improving Quality, Controlling Costs" (download)
   
2. Community Catalyst (2010). "National Health Reform and Cost-Quality: How Can New Jersey Utilize the New Reforms to Move the State Health Care Agenda?" (download)
   
3. Community Catalyst (2010). "Campaign for Better Care Overview" (download)
   
4. Dr. Brenner, Power Point Presentation (June 2010) on Camden ACO project (download)
   
5. John Jacobi, Power Point Presentation (June 2010) on Cost, Quality, and Consumer Benefit (download)

SECTION FOUR
Promoting Health Equity Through Health Care Reform

1. Community Catalyst, PPT presentation (June 2010). "National Health Reform and Reducing Health Disparities in New Jersey" (download)
   
2. Community Catalyst (March 2010). "Community Benefits: Protect Consumers and Strengthen Dialogue between Hospitals and Communities" (download)
   
3. Community Catalyst (March 2010). "Protect and Target Federal Funding for Safety Net Hospitals" (download)
   
4. Community Catalyst (March 2010). "Improving the Health of our Communities: Promote the Availability of Healthy Food in All Neighborhoods" (download)
   
5. Community Catalyst (March 2010). "Using Data to Track and Reduce Health Disparities in Medicaid" (download)
   
6. Community Catalyst (March 2010). "Promoting Cultural Awareness and Language Assistance in Health Care" (download)
   
7. National Immigration Law Center (April 2010). "How Are Immigrants Included in Health Reform?" (download)

SECTION FIVE
Communicating the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to the Public

1. Herndon Alliance, PPT presentation (June 2010). "Implementing Health Reform: Context and Climate." (download)

SECTION SIX
Additional Resources

1. Community Catalyst (January 2010). "Building on the foundation: Consumer Advocacy's role in Successful Health Care Reform." Executive Summary (download)
   
2. Trust for America's Health. "Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (HR 3590) Selected Prevention, Public Health & Workforce Provisions." (download)
   
3. U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (2010). "Young Adults and The Affordable Care Act: Protecting Young Adults and Eliminating Burdens on Businesses and Families." (download)
   
4. Community Catalyst - New England Alliance for Children's Health (April 2010). "Overview of Children's Provision in National Health Reform." (download)
   
5. National Academy for State Health Policy (April 2010). "Briefing: Long Term Services and Supports and Chronic Care Coordination: Policy Advances Enacted by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act." (download)

NJ For Health Care Opposes Governor Christie's Cuts to FamilyCare and Charity Care

On Monday, March 8, 2010, members of the NJ For Health Care Coalition were joined by State Senator Loretta Weinberg (D-37), Chair of the NJ Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee and State Senator Joseph Vitale (D-19), Vice Chair of the NJ Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee at a Statehouse Press Conference to call on NJ Governor Chris Christie to stop cuts to NJ's FamilyCare and Charity Care programs which he enacted through Executive Order.

In addition to speakers from NJ Citizen Action, NJ Policy Perspective, the NJ Primary Care Association, the NJ Immigration Policy Network, and the Middlesex County Advocates, partners including the Health Professionals and Allied Employees, the Association for Children of NJ, AARP NJ, Legal Services of NJ, the Association for the Betterment of Citizens with Disabilities, and the NJ Catholic Conference attended the event.

• Press Release.
• Speakers.
• Statement of Eve Weissman, NJ Citizen Action.
• Statement of Raymond Castro, Senior Policy Anayst, New Jersey Policy Perspective.
• News Coverage: "Middle Class In New Jersey Becoming Uninsured Faster Than All Other Groups" (The Record / NorthJersey.com — March 18, 2010),"Christie Budget Calls For Sacrifice" (Courier-Post — March 16, 2010), "Budget Cuts Could Hit Low-Income New Jersey Residents" (Asbury Park Press — March 15, 2010), "Lawmakers: Health Care Cuts Will Hurt Economy" (NJBIZ — March 8, 2010), "Critics Warn Dropping Immigrant Health Care Coverage Could Backfire" (The Record — March 8, 2010), "Christie Pressured To Halt Funding Cuts To N.J. FamilyCare And Charity Health Care" (New Jersey Newsroom — March 8, 2010), "NJ's Latest Push for Healthcare Reform" (New Jersey Now / My9News — March 7, 2010 VIDEO NEWS SEGMENT).

New Jersey's Under 31 Insurance Law

The Patient Protection and Affordable Health Care Act allows young adults to obtain health coverage through their parents' insurance plan up to age 26. However, in NJ young adults can stay on their parents' insurance policies up to the age of 31 if they meet the flowing criteria.

Your Plan:

• must be through a group health benefits plan issued in New Jersey (or the State Health Benefits Plan); and
• must allow for the enrollment of dependents.

A Parent:

If the parent's employer offers coverage subject to the law, then the young adult's parent:

• must be covered under the employer's group health benefits plan subject to the DU31 law; and
• must provide coverage for all family members who meet the definition of a dependent under the group health benefits plan, or must have waived coverage for an eligible dependent because the dependent is covered under another group health plan or government-sponsored plan

A Young Adult:

If both the employer's plan and the young adult's parent meet the above requirements, the young adult may enroll if he or she:

• is younger than 31 years old, but older than the limiting age for dependent children stated in the group health benefits plan in which he or she wants to enroll;
• is a resident of New Jersey, or, if not residing in New Jersey, is a full-time student at an accredited public or private institution of higher education;
• has evidence of creditable coverage or receipt of benefits under a group health plan, a church plan, an individual health benefits plan or receipt of benefits as a Medicare recipient;
• is not covered under another group health plan, church plan, individual health benefits plan and is not entitled to Medicare as of the date that coverage under the parent's group health benefits plan would begin (note: a young adult can have other coverage upon the date the DU31 election is made, but not upon the date the DU31 coverage becomes effective);
• does not have any children; and
• does not have a spouse, civil union partner or domestic partner.

For a more information on the NJ Law visit the NJ Department of Banking and Insurance website.

New Report Shows How Much New Jersey Families Can Afford to Spend on Health Care

A new report by the NJ Consumer Voices for Coverage Leadership Team shows how much money New Jersey families can afford to spend on health care. New Jersey Consumer Voices for Coverage launched Making Health Care Affordable for New Jersey: Real Families, Real Stories to educate New Jersey residents, through community-based organizations, about the health reform debate going on around them, and to take a practical look at what families can, or cannot, afford to pay for their health care.

The aim of this project is to aid policymakers in understanding how much real families living in New Jersey can afford to spend on health care, based on real stories and household budgets of people living across the State. The stories and data presented in this report come from 648 families who attended over 40 community-based workshops throughout New Jersey. Their stories present numerous policy implications on the need to develop a reasonable standard of affordability for New Jersey families if health reform is going to succeed in reducing the number of New Jersey's uninsured.

Key Findings

• A majority of families cannot make ends meet and are operating in the red. 52.9% of respondents reported monthly expenses outpacing monthly income resulting in a negative cash flow by month's end.
• Families are delaying needed health care because of high costs. 46.4% of respondents report forgoing needed medical care due to cost or lack of insurance in the past year.
• Health care costs cause financial hardship for families. 13% of families reported having medical debt, the result of unpaid health care bills.
• Uninsured families report delaying care at high rates. 77.0% of families without health insurance report delaying needed care due to cost or lack of insurance in the last year.
• Many with health insurance also cannot afford needed care. 32.1% of insured respondents report delaying needed care due to cost in the past year.
• Those with chronic health conditions are more likely to delay care. 54.0% of those with chronic health conditions report delaying needed care due to cost or lack of insurance compared with 46.4% of total respondents.

Policy Recommendations

1. Develop and implement a sliding scale affordability measure based on income to ensure that New Jersey families are not required to pay more for health care than they can afford.
2. The affordability scale should provide full subsidies to cover the entire cost of health care for families up to 200% FPL and sliding scale subsides for families at least up to 399% FPL.
3. New Jersey must collect more data to determine how much families above 400% FPL can afford to spend on health care.

Resources

• Full Report.
• Press Release.
• One-Page Report Summary.
• News Coverage: "Advocates: Health Care Will Still Elude Many In N.J." (Star-Ledger — December 2, 2009), "Report: New Jersey Families Struggling With Health Care Costs" (New Jersey Newsroom — December 2, 2009), "New Report Shows Health Care Affordability For NJ Families" (NewsBlaze — December 2, 2009), "Survey Claims New Jersey Health Care Costs Prevent Treatment For Many" (Press of Atlantic City — December 1, 2009), "New Report Shows Health Care Costs Cause Financial Hardship For NJ Families" (Radio News Source — December 1, 2009 — AUDIO NEWS).

"New Report: The Right Rx for NJ — National Health Care Reform" by Ray Castro, Senior Policy Analyst at NJ Policy Perspective

On October 8, 2009 members of the NJ For Health Care Coalition released a new report by NJ Policy Perspective that shows the impact of the health care bill currently in the US House of Representatives on New Jersey's public health and economy.

The report analyzes the major provisions in "America's Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009" (HR 3200) and describes how the bill will benefit New Jersey residents including low and middle income families, small businesses, children, adults, seniors, people with disabilities, and the uninsured. It is the first and only comprehensive analysis examining the impact of HR 3200 on New Jerseyans to date. New Jersey Policy Perspective has also broken down the information by county and Congressional District.

• Key Findings.
• Full Report.
• Congressional District and County Breakout Data.
• Speakers.
• Statement of Ray Castro, NJ Policy Perspective.
• Statement of Eve Weissman, NJ Citizen Action Education Fund.
• Statement of Kelly Conklin, NJ Main Street Alliance.
• Statement of Reverend Bruce Davidson, Lutheran Office of Governmental Ministry of NJ.
• Press Release.
• News Coverage: "Report 'Prescribes' Public Option To State" (Daily Targum — October 12, 2009), "N.J.'s Public Health, Economy 'Threatened' Without Universal Care, Report Says" (Star-Ledger — October 8, 2009) and "Report: Health Care Reform Bill Would Benefit N.J." (New Jersey Newsroom — October 8, 2009).

Photos from the "The Right Rx for NJ" Press Conference
Ray Castro, Senior Policy Analyst at NJ Policy Perspective and author of the report explains the findings.	Reverend Bruce Davidson, Director of the Lutheran Office of Governmental Ministry of NJ.	Kelly Conklin, Small Business Owner in Bloomfield, NJ and Spokesperson for the NJ Main Street Alliance discusses the need to reform health care from a small business perspective.

"State Practices in Health Coverage for Immigrants: A Report for New Jersey" — Rutgers Center for State Health Policy

On 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.

• Full Report.
  
• NJ For Health Care's Policy Recommendations.
  
• Press Release.
• News Coverage:
  • "Saving FamilyCare Right For N.J. Parents" (Asbury Park Press — July 9, 2009)
  • "Advocacy Group: Health Insurance Companies Need More Competition" (NorthJersey.com — June 19, 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)
  • "Statehouse Press Conf. Sen Vitale & Advocates Oppose State Budget" (NewsBlaze — May 12, 2009)
  • "Vitale Statement On Health Care Cuts In FY 2010 Budget" (PolitickerNJ — May 12, 2009)
  • "Sen. Vitale Joins Chorus Protesting Budget Cuts To Health Care" (NJBIZ — May 12, 2009)
• Additional Resources:
• "Falling Short: Time to Keep the FamilyCare Promise" — New Jersey Policy Perspective, May 2007
• "Coverage of Parents Helps Children Too" — Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, October 2006
• "An Advocate's Guide to the State Budget" — New Jersey Policy Perspective, 2005

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

Governor 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 the amazing work of the NJ For Health Care Coalition. 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.

A special thanks to our partners and allies at AARP, NJ Policy Perspective, NJ Catholic Conference, the Lutheran Office of Governmental Ministry of NJ, Association for Children of NJ, and Legal Services of NJ for working to maintain and preserve access to affordable health care for low and moderate income NJ 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.

• News Coverage: "Saving FamilyCare Right For N.J. Parents" (Asbury Park Press — July 9, 2009)

Statehouse Press Conference on NJ's Fiscal Year 2010 State Budget

On May 6, 2009 health care advocates held a Press Conference at the Trenton Statehouse to call on NJ policymakers to OPPOSE proposals in the State's Fiscal Year 2010 Budget to roll back enrollment of parents between 150% - 200% of poverty 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 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. Read the letters to the NJ Senate and the Assembly.

• NJ For Health Care Press Release.
• Coalition for a Moral Budget Press Release.
• List of Speakers.
• See who attended.
• Read Statements:
  • Senator Joseph Vitale (D-Middlesex).
  • New Jersey Citizen Action.
  • New Jersey Policy Perspective.
  • Coalition for a Moral Budget.
  • Association for Children of New Jersey.
  • Personal Story of Lillian U. on ADDP Co-Pays.

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.

Recent History: Health Care Reform in New Jersey

In June 2008 the NJ Legislature passed S-1557/A-2624, a health care reform bill sponsored by State Senator Joseph Vitale (D-Middlesex). The bill was signed into law by Governor Corzine in July 2008. The bill expands the NJ FamilyCare Program, allowing NJ to reinstitute enrolling parents up to 200% of poverty. The bill also contains a KidsFirst mandate requiring that all children (18-years and younger) have health insurance. Additionally, there are a number of market reforms in the bill including the introduction of age as a rating factor in NJ's individual insurance market.

State law now requires that all children (18 years and younger) in New Jersey have health insurance as of July 2009. Learn about the options available for your family:

• NJ FamilyCare — for children under 350% of the Federal Poverty Level
• NJ FamilyCare Advantage — for children above 350% of the Federal Poverty Level

Click here for more information on Senator Vitale's health care proposal for New Jersey.

• Additional Resources
  • Senator Vitale's Health Care Proposal
  • Individual Mandates and Affordability
  • Lessons from Other States
• In The News — NJ Health Care Reform-related press and media coverage

Preventable Medical Errors

NJ Makes Great Strides in Disclosure of Medical Errors!

Nearly 100,000 Americans die each year from Preventable Medical Errors. Preventable Medical Errors (PMEs) are avoidable mistakes that result in serious injury or even death. Many New Jerseyans have experienced the terrible effects of preventable medical errors.

In August 2009, Governor Corzine signed the Hospital Errors Accountability Law (HEAL). After a two year campaign by consumer groups such as AARP, NJ Citizen Action and HPAE, working with Department of Health and Senior Services Commissioner Heather Howard, this health care quality bill became law.

The HEAL bill will improve patient safety in our hospitals by public reporting established patient safety indicators and by implementing payment policies that make patient safety a priority.

• Learn about preventable medical errors at NJ's hospitals and medical facilities at the NJ Department of Health and Senior Services website.
• NJ's 2009 Hospital Performance Report.
• CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT HEAL.

NJ FamilyCare

Go to www.njfamilycare.org to learn about the NJ FamilyCare Program including what it is, who is covered, and what it costs. There you can also download an application or apply online.

On September 14, 2009, NJ Governor Jon Corzine Announces Over 11% Decrease in New Jerseyans without Health Insurance. Read the Press Release.

Background:

The 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. Click here for more information about NJ FamilyCare and SCHIP.

News Coverage:

• PRESS STATEMENT: Coalition Calls on Legislature to Stop Cuts to NJ FamilyCare and Charity Care — February 17, 2010
• "Don't Eliminate NJ FamilyCare Coverage" (NorthJersey.com — May 14, 2009).
• "New Record For Uninsured N.J. Kids" (Star-Ledger — May 8, 2009).
• "DISPATCHES: National Fix Needed For Healthcare Mess" (Princeton Packet — April 28, 2009).
• "Castro: Providing Health Insurance For New Jersey's Kids" (The Record / NorthJersey.com — September 9, 2008).
• A Step Backward: How Federal Rules Would Deny Health Insurance to New Jersey Children, By Raymond J. Castro, Senior Policy Analyst, NJ Policy Perspective.
  

Prescription Drugs

The NJ Prescription Drug Price Registry

For English: https://www6.state.nj.us/LPSCA_DRUG/index.jsp
Para Español: http://www.nj.gov/lps/ca/espanol/spnjpdr/drugs/
Call toll-free 1-800-242-5846 for help in English or in Spanish

• The Prescription Drug Retail Price Registry is a listing of the 150 most prescribed prescription drugs and how much they cost at different pharmacies throughout New Jersey.
• With the Registry you can easily compare prices in your area using the website or an 800 number (see above). You will need a list of the drugs you take and the dosage. You can search for the best price right in your area using your zip scode or address.
  
• The prices on the Registry are updated weekly so they should be accurate, but consumers should remember that they are still subject to change.
  
• These are retail prices only. If you have insurance or co-pays, the price you pay could be different from the retail price listed.