Gill Statement On Governor’s Veto Of Health Benefit Exchange Act

TRENTON – Senator Nia H. Gill (D-Essex) issued the following statement on today’s approval by the Assembly Health and Senior Services Committee of the New Jersey Health Benefit Exchange Act, legislation (S-1319) the senator sponsored in the upper house to create a state-based health insurance exchange:

“It is critical that our state meet the November 16th deadline for demonstrating to the federal government that we have a plan in place to set up a health insurance exchange in New Jersey. This vote brings us one step closer to meeting that goal. I want to thank Chairman Conaway and the members of the committee for their commitment to providing access to affordable health insurance to the people of this state who are currently in need of coverage.

“For the uninsured and underinsured who are an illness away from being pushed over the financial brink, the exchange is their lifeline to financial stability and to receiving quality care. To that end, it is vital we implement a model that will provide the most benefits and protections to our residents. A one-size-fits-all approach is not the optimal path forward for New Jersey. Our exchange must have the ability to meet the demands of the marketplace and to respond to the needs of our residents. This legislation allows for us to do that in a meaningful way. I look forward to this bill reaching the governor’s desk and urge him to do what is right for our state.”

TRENTON – Legislation aimed at regulating the sale or distribution of flavored electronic smoking devices and the sale of tobacco…

TRENTON – Legislation sponsored by Senators Nia H. Gill (D-Essex) and Senator Joseph Vitale (D-Middlesex) to implement an essential part of the federal health care reform law by creating a state health insurance exchange, a competitive marketplace where individuals and employers will be able to purchase health care coverage, was approved today by the full Senate.

Required under the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act signed by President Obama in 2010, the health insurance exchange is the key to providing New Jersey’s uninsured and underinsured with affordable, quality health coverage. The exchange is a virtual marketplace – accessible on the Internet or by phone – that will allow individuals and small employers to directly compare health coverage options based on quality, cost and value and to purchase private health insurance. The federal government has set a November 16 deadline for states to declare their intention to create a state-based exchange or to cede control of the process to the federal government.

“This legislation is the key piece of federal health care reform that will provide access to coverage for hundreds of thousands of New Jerseyans who are without it, many of whom are working full-time jobs but still cannot afford insurance,” said Senator Gill. “A state-based exchange will ensure that when these individuals shop for coverage beginning in October of 2013, they will be able to purchase affordable, quality plans that best meet their needs. The state is facing a November deadline to demonstrate that we are prepared to create an exchange. To that end, we must move swiftly to ensure that we have a strong system in place so that our residents can purchase coverage and get the care they deserve.”

“Creating a health exchange, the centerpiece of the health reform law, is essential to ensuring that New Jersey residents have access to affordable, quality health care coverage,” said Senator Vitale, chair of the Senate Health, Human Services & Senior Citizens Committee. “With this legislation, we will create a simple, user-friendly process for obtaining insurance so that people are informed about their options and given seamless access to the type of coverage they need to keep themselves and their families healthy. The exchange will also provide for competition among carriers to create downward pressure on costs.”

TRENTON – Legislation sponsored by Senators Nia H. Gill (D-Essex) and Senator Joseph Vitale (D-Middlesex) to implement an essential part of the federal health care reform law by creating a state health insurance exchange, a competitive marketplace where individuals and employers will be able to purchase health care coverage, was approved today by the Senate Commerce Committee.

Required under the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act signed by President Obama in 2010, the health insurance exchange is the key to providing New Jersey’s uninsured and underinsured with affordable, quality health coverage. The exchange is a virtual marketplace – accessible on the Internet or by phone – that will allow individuals and small employers to directly compare health coverage options based on quality, cost and value and to purchase private health insurance. The federal government has set a November 16 deadline for states to declare their intention to create a state-based exchange or to cede control of the process to the federal government.

“Every state must have a health exchange under the federal health reform law. While the federal government offers states several options, a state-based health exchange makes the most sense for New Jersey as it will allow us to provide residents with plans that best meet their needs,” said Senator Gill, chair of the Senate Commerce Committee. “The state is facing a November deadline to demonstrate that we are prepared to create an exchange. To that end, we must move swiftly to ensure that we have a strong system in place by October of 2013 when hundreds of thousands of New Jerseyans will be shopping for affordable, quality health care coverage.”

“Creating a health exchange, the centerpiece of the health reform law, is essential to ensuring that New Jersey residents have access to affordable, quality health care coverage,” said Senator Vitale, chair of the Senate Health, Human Services & Senior Citizens Committee. “With this legislation, we will create a simple, user-friendly process for obtaining insurance so that people are informed about their options and given seamless access to the type of coverage they need to keep themselves and their families healthy. The exchange will also provide for competition among carriers to create downward pressure on costs.”