TRENTON – Senate Health Chair Joseph F. Vitale and Senate Commerce Chair Nia H. Gill will hold a joint hearing of their respective committees on Monday to examine the recently-announced OMNIA Health Alliance formed by Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey and the impact the alliance and the new tiered plans will have on consumers and the state’s health care community.
The joint hearing of the Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee and the Senate Commerce Committee will be held on Monday, October 5, 2015, at 10:00 AM in Committee Room 4, 1st Floor, State House Annex, Trenton, New Jersey.
The committees will hear from invited guests including officials from Horizon BCBSNJ. Also invited to testify are health care experts, as well as representatives of hospitals and health systems from around the state.
“Consumers deserve clear answers about how this new OMNIA alliance and the tiers will affect their access to care, and safety net health care providers deserve to know how this will impact their ability to serve patients and their long-term viability,” said Senator Vitale (D-Middlesex). “Hearing directly from Horizon about how the alliance was developed and about the new health plans offered will allow for greater transparency and better understanding. We welcome innovation that will reduce health care costs, but we have to be cautious in making sure that the changes will not adversely impact patients or hospitals in New Jersey, especially those in medically underserved communities.”
“As New Jersey’s largest insurer, any dramatic shift in plans offered by Horizon will have a far-reaching impact on our state. There are many questions about how the alliance and the new tiered plans will affect hospitals as well as consumers,” said Senator Gill (D-Essex/Passaic). “The hearing is an opportunity for the public to learn more about this proposal and how it was developed. We look forward to hearing from Horizon as well as from stakeholders who may be affected.”