LAN

The Latino Action Network is a grassroots organization composed of individuals and organizations that are committed to engaging in collective action at the local, state and national levels in order to advance the equitable inclusion of the diverse Latino communities in all aspects of United States society.

Monday, May 23, 2011

Latino Action Network Critical of Governor Christie’s Choice to Dismantle FamilyCare

The Latino Action Network [LAN] today denounced the latest attack by Governor Chris Christie on New Jersey’s FamilyCare program. This service offers coverage to working families who are above the income levels permitted by Medicaid but whose family income does not allow them to buy health insurance on the open market. 

Latino Action Network Critical of
Governor Christie’s Choice to Dismantle FamilyCare

For Immediate Release: May 23, 2011
Frank Argote-Freyre, Chair – 908-670-0552
Daniel Santo Pietro, Chair, Public Policy Committee – 732-496-9628

            The Latino Action Network [LAN] today denounced the latest attack by Governor Chris Christie on New Jersey’s FamilyCare program. This service offers coverage to working families who are above the income levels permitted by Medicaid but whose family income does not allow them to buy health insurance on the open market.

            “The corporate coddling, low-income bashing policies of Governor Christie are obvious once again in this year’s proposed budget,” said Frank Argote-Freyre, President of the Latino Action Network.  “The latest Christie proposal all but eliminates FamilyCare for working parents. This is more of the same cruel social policy we have come to expect from this governor.”

Governor Christie started dismantling FamilyCare last year when he arbitrarily removed 13,000 adult immigrants from FamilyCare, and then lowered eligibility for a family of four from $36,000 to $25,000 annual income barring about 50,000 more parents.  Earlier this month, the Christie Administration announced that under the latest budget proposal for Medicaid only parents earning about five thousand dollars a year will be eligible thereby eliminating working parents.

“The Governor is following a pattern of refusing to invest state money that the federal government more than matches to extend health services to working people,” said Daniel Santo Pietro, chair of the LAN Public Policy Committee. “Latinos will be disproportionately affected.  In the past Latino social service agencies, whose funding the Governor also has cut dramatically, made a concerted effort to enroll families only to see them eliminated from the program.  Latinos have the highest rates of families living without coverage in New Jersey—about 40%.”

If the budget is not modified, over a hundred thousand parents will likely be cut from the program.  Thousands of children are sure to follow once their parents lose coverage. The result is that New Jersey will lose millions in federal funding, and these working families will likely resort to emergency rooms for healthcare putting greater pressure on local hospitals, who do not have sufficient Charity Care funds to attend to their current population.  The Governor’s moves also undermine the federal healthcare reform law that in 2014 expects to expand Medicaid and create insurance exchanges to provide vehicles for nearly everyone to get health coverage.

Earlier this year, the LAN joined a lawsuit against the Christie Administration challenging last year’s cuts to FamilyCare. The Latino Action Network was founded in 2009 to fight for political empowerment and defend civil rights.