TRENTON, N.J. – After taxpayers and government employees were hit with double-digit rate spikes last year, a new report from the actuary hired by the state to assess its health insurance plans recommends immediate and long-term ways to cut premium expenses. “Anything the state can do to lower costs...
TRENTON, N.J. – With the State Health Benefits Commission approving health care rate hikes of 23% for local government employees, Assemblyman Ned Thomson is demanding that energy tax receipts be paid in full to municipalities to offset the expected property tax increases. “The state has essentially been playing Judas...
TRENTON, N.J. – An Assembly committee on Thursday will take up a bill addressing the limited public funds dedicated to counties for Covid-19 testing and treatment, and the soaring enrollment in Medicaid as people lost their employer-sponsored health insurance during the pandemic. The bill (A2017), sponsored by Assemblyman Erik...
TRENTON, N.J. – Assembly Republican Leader John DiMaio rejected Gov. Phil Murphy’s push today to have abortions covered by insurance and taxpayers after signing legislation allowing full term abortions in January. “First of all, allowing abortions up until birth is a heinous stance to take. Now, Murphy is hastily...
TRENTON, N.J. – In an effort to preserve the limited public funds dedicated to counties for Covid-19 testing, diagnosis and treatment, the Assembly voted to advance a bill sponsored by Assemblyman Erik Peterson Thursday. The bill (A5215) allows counties to access state data to determine if an individual has...
TRENTON, N.J. – New Jersey’s struggling small businesses have prioritized paying for employee health insurance premiums as the country faced its biggest public health crisis in modern history. Now small employers who purchase insurance through Members Health Plan NJ are looking at a 5.5 percent monthly Covid surcharge –...
TRENTON, N.J. – Assemblyman Hal Wirths questioned why the $600 million going to the state in the Horizon bill (A5119) is not being used to lower costs for customers. “If Horizon is a nonprofit and has that much money leftover in the first place, premiums and rates should be...
TRENTON, N.J. – Assemblyman Christopher DePhillips recently introduced a bill (A376) that would require health insurance coverage for annual mental health screenings. “We all know someone who has suffered with mental illness. With suicide rates on the rise among teenagers, veterans, and seniors, we must do more to eliminate...