S2134

TRENTON – State Senator Joseph F. Vitale, D-Middlesex, the vice chair of the Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee and sponsor of S-2134, which would restore nearly $25 million which was cut from the FY 2011 Budget from the FamilyCare program to provide health care access to the uninsured, and S-2139, which would restore $7.5 million in funds which were cut for women’s health and family planning programs, issued the following statement today after the Governor vetoed the bills:

“The Governor’s veto of these bills represents a colossal mistake in terms of ensuring health care access for people who have nowhere else to turn. Not only are these vetoes inhumane, they also make little fiscal sense when you consider that the State will face much larger health care costs in terms of providing medical care for the uninsured.

TRENTON – A bill sponsored by Senator Joseph Vitale which would preserve FamilyCare coverage for working parents and unfreeze enrollment for new applicants was approved by the Senate today by a vote of 23-17.

“New Jersey FamilyCare is a vital and necessary component in our State’s health care safety net,” said Senator Vitale, D-Middlesex, and one of the most vocal proponents of the FamilyCare program. “Rather than force uninsured New Jerseyans into emergency room care, we need to continue our support for FamilyCare health coverage for those in need. This is about government’s fundamental responsibilities to the people it represents, and I hope the Governor does the right thing and restores this funding.”

TRENTON – A bill sponsored by Senator Joseph Vitale which would preserve FamilyCare coverage for working parents and unfreeze enrollment for new applicants was approved by the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee yesterday by a vote of 8-5 along party lines.

“With double digit unemployment and the effects of a national recession still hurting the Garden State, we cannot shirk our responsibility to working-class New Jersey families who need access to decent, affordable health care,” said Senator Vitale, D-Middlesex, and one of the most vocal proponents of the FamilyCare program. “We also cannot leave any money on the table, and with a nearly 2-to-1 federal match on New Jersey’s FamilyCare investment, the program generates more revenue for the State than it costs to fund. This bill continues to help New Jerseyans access appropriate medical care, rather than forcing them to forego medically-necessary treatment or face bankruptcy due to the high cost of care.”