NJ Health Insurance Exchange Act Clears Committee

Trenton, NJ - The  New Jersey Health Benefit Exchange Act (S-2135) cleared the Senate Commerce Committee yesterday.  Daniel Santo Pietro, Chair of the Public Policy of the Latino Action Network (LAN) testified before the Senate Commerce Committee in support of the New Jersey Health Benefit Exchange Act (S2135). Click HERE to read Daniel's testimony.  The article below describes yesterday's proceedings and includes a statement by Santo Pietro.  Click HERE to read the article on the NJ Spotlight website.
 

NJ Health Insurance Exchange Clears Committee 

Amended legislation addresses many of the issues lawmakers, advocates, and activists had with original bill

By Joe Tyrrell, October 2, 2012 in Healthcare

NJ Spotlight 

Renewed legislation establishing a state health insurance exchange to oversee coverage won approval from the Senate’s commerce committee on Monday -- after some tinkering to the makeup of the exchange's governing board.

State health exchanges are a key provision of the federal Affordable Care Act. These virtual marketplaces let individuals and small businesses compare their options for private health insurance by cost and coverage.

LAN Public Policy Chair Testifies in Support of New Jersey Health Benefit Exchange Act (S-2135)

Daniel Santo Pietro, Chair of the Public Policy of the Latino Action Network (LAN) testified before the Senate Commerce Committee in support of the New Jersey Health Benefit Exchange Act (S2135).  If passed, the bill would set up a state-run insurance exchange as a way to give uninsured people a way to buy health insurance plans as part of the federal health insurance overhaul.  Santo Pietro pointed out that Latino workers who are employed in service jobs that offer no health coverage and Latino small business owners and their employees are a large part of the uninsured population, about 400 thousand.  Given the need to reach out to such a large portion of the Hispanics, he urged the inclusion of Latinos on the board of the newly created exchange.  He also urged the bill's rapid passage and enactment into law in New Jersey, so we can all start the work that should be in high gear in early 2013 to move our state toward universal coverage.  You can read Daniel Santo Pietro's full testimony below:

Testimony for Senate Commerce Committee

Bill S2135

New Jersey Health Benefit Exchange Act

October 1, 2012

I am Daniel Santo Pietro, Chair of  Public Policy of the Latino Action Network (LAN).  LAN is a state-wide network of Latino leaders from community organizations, unions, academia, and professionals.

LAN has worked extensively on and supports fully the principles of the NJ Healthcare Coalition.  It is critical that the Exchange created under this Act has a strong consumer bias if it is to realize its purpose.  The State Health Policy Center has pointed out for over a year that the Exchange will have to do outreach to many low income people to be successful.  What is particularly important to LAN is that Latinos will be one of the largest subgroup of consumers that will seek health coverage through the exchange. 

Latino Action Network Testifies in Support of Assembly Bill 2147 Which Would Increase Accountability and Transparency in New Jersey Charter Schools

On Thursday, February 2, 2012 the New Jersey Assembly Education Committee considered Assembly bill 2147 (bills A3356/S3005/S3001 last session), which would increase Charter School educational and financial accountability and transparency and address the fact that New Jersey Charter School students do not represent the demographics of their sending districts.  Christian Estevez, Executive Vice President of the Latino Action Network, testified in support of A-2147 which would reform the state’s broken charter school law.  This bill was favorably reported out of committee by a unanimous bipartisan vote.  You can read his testimony below.

TESTIMONY BY

THE LATINO ACTION NETWORK

BEFORE THE NEW JERSEY ASSEMBLY EDUCATION COMMITTEE

FEBRUARY 2, 2012

DELIVERED BY:

Christian Estevez, Executive Vice President

Latino Action Network

P.O. Box 943

Freehold, NJ 07728

Phone: (973) 418-7012

esteveznj@gmail.com

Good afternoon, my name is Christian Estevez and I am the Vice President of the Latino Action Network.  We are a statewide advocacy organization dedicated to mobilizing New Jersey’s Latino community to seek greater social, economic and educational justice.

I thank you for the opportunity to testify today in support of Assembly Bill A-2147 which improves accountability and transparency in New Jersey’s Charter Schools.

While our state has some of the best schools in the nation, it is also abundantly clear that many of the schools in our urban communities are in crisis.  We must do everything that we can to improve the educational opportunities available to the children in our urban communities.  We recognize that quality Charter Schools can play an important role in the provision of additional educational opportunities for our children.

We see quality Charter Schools as a part of the solution to the crisis faced by many Latino families.  We welcome any approach that contributes positively toward helping those children with the most need.  However, in cases where any school, whether they are a Charter School or a regular public school, is not providing quality opportunities to our children, they become part of the problem instead of being part of the solution.