 |
||
Media Release |
||
| For Immediate Release | Contact | Phone |
| Monday, March 29, 2010 | Adam Sherman | 732-246 4772 |
| Eve Weissman | 732-246 4772 | |
NJ Health Care Advocates Thank Senator Robert Menendez for Championing National Health Care Reform
Englewood, NJ — Health Care advocates from across the State and members of the NJ For Health Care and NJ Health Care for America Now Campaigns including NJ Citizen Action, AARP NJ, AFSCME, BlueWave NJ, Next Step, SEIU, the Statewide Parents Advocacy Network, Bergen Grassroots, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, the Health Professionals and Allied Employees, the Lutheran Office of Governmental Ministries, and the NJ Main Street Alliance gathered today at Englewood Hospital in Englewood, New Jersey to thank Senator Menendez for his leadership in the winning fight for comprehensive health care reform.
"Senator Menendez is a proven health reform champion for New Jersey. Over the last 18 months he had demonstrated his commitment time and time again to getting the job we needed done," said Phyllis Salowe-Kaye, Executive Director of New Jersey Citizen Action. "Thanks to Senator Menendez's "yes" vote, we can now look forward to the security of good health care at a price we can afford. Tens of thousands of residents will no longer have to worry about being denied care or going bankrupt trying to pay for the care we need."
Last week, the Senate and House of Representatives passed the health care reconciliation bill, bringing to a close an 18-month long fight to pass national health care reform legislation. The health reform bill signed into law on March 23, 2010 by President Obama, along with the reconciliation (or 'fix-it') bill, will expand health coverage to 32 million Americans, stop insurance companies from denying care based on pre-existing conditions or dropping coverage when you get sick, reduce prescription drug costs for seniors, provide tax credits to small businesses choosing to offer coverage to their employees, and reduce the national deficit by $138 billion over the first ten years.
"This bill takes a great step forward for small businesses. Businesses, like mine, with less than 25 employees and average wages less than $50,000 will be eligible for tax credits on a sliding scale basis. This includes over 200,000 small businesses in our state who will have a chance to provide health benefits and finally compete with big business for the best employees," said Henry Passapera, owner of P & R Trading in East Rutherford, NJ. "This combined with our ability to pool together through the new insurance exchanges, make this health reform bill a real win for the small business community."
(over)
As a member of the Senate Finance Committee, Senator Menendez was actively engaged in the crafting the health care legislation.
###
NJ Citizen Action is the State's largest citizen watchdog coalition, representing over 60,000 family members and over 100 affiliated organizations across the State. NJCA works to protect and expand the rights of individuals and families and to ensure that government officials respond to the needs of people rather than the interests of those with money and power.
NJ For Health Care is a broad-based alliance of over 60 health care, consumer, senior, student, disability, women's, labor, faith-based, civil rights and social justice organizations representing over 2 million members, working to bring guaranteed, high quality, affordable health care to all New Jersey residents.
Health Care for America Now is a grassroots national initiative that came together in the summer of 2008 with the goal of passing strong national health care reform through Congress.
