"I thank the Healthcare Institute of New Jersey and Cooper Hospital for coordinating this important event to broaden awareness of asthma and available treatments for this debilitating condition," said Rep. Andrews.  "The problems associated with asthma are exacerbated by the lack of adequate health insurance and I commend Cooper Hospital and the healthcare workers present today and everyday who provide critical health services and screening to all patients regardless of whether they have health insurance or not."

Rep. Andrews cited a compelling need to address the growing problem of asthma and its disparate impact on those who lack health insurance.  Asthma affects more than 17 million people in the United States and over 5 million of this group are children.  In 2000, asthma was responsible for nearly 2 million visits to the emergency room and nearly half a million-hospital admissions, according to the Center for Disease Control.  Asthma related hospitalization costs total approximately $3.1 billion each year and asthma hospitalization rates are approximately 1.5 times higher for patients who lack health coverage.  Cooper University Hospital provides over 90% of the charity care services for the City of Camden.  In 2002, Cooper provided over $61 million of charity care services for which it received only $17 million as its allotment of Charity Care funds from the $381 million distributed among New Jersey Hospitals.

 The Congressman's legislation will help to reduce the occurrences of asthma by directing the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Director of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), and the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to establish programs to improve indoor air quality in schools and in buildings.  Rep. Andrews is hopeful that today's program at Cooper Hospital will help to educate parents and children about this disease to help them manage it in order to reduce the need for emergency hospitalizations associated with asthma.  Additionally, Congressman Andrews' legislation will benefit healthcare facilities like Cooper Hospital by reducing the amount of emergency charity cases related to asthma by reducing the environmental factors that cause and aggravate asthma. 

Rep. Andrews next visited the new site of the LEAP Charter School High School in Camden to participate in a groundbreaking ceremony.  Rep. Andrews commended the school on its commitment to its students as well as the health and welfare of the community.  The new high school will have section dedicated to health education and wellness. LEAP currently has a primary family practice in their current building with 2 nurse practitioners and a mid wife for prenatal care.  These services are available to students and their families, teachers and members of the immediate community.

Congressman Andrews next participated in a press conference at the Camden Tweeter center to highlight the success of a program to test Camden City children for the presence of lead and to increase awareness of this free service for City residents.

"A year ago, only 17% children in the city had been tested for lead poisoning.  One year later, we have increased that number to 45%," said Andrews.  "We still have a lot more work to do to reach our goal of 100% by 2010.  I am here today to ensure that the residents of Camden City are aware of this program to help their children."

While at the Tweeter Center in Camden, Rep. Rob Andrews also stopped in at the Bridgeways to Health & Jobs Fair-2nd Annual City of Camden AIDS Advisory Council Conference sponsored by the City of Camden, Mayor Gwendolyn Faison, and co-sponsored by the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services-Division of HIV/AIDS Services to alert residents to available healthcare services.

Congressman Andrews also visited the Kennedy Health System in Washington Township to address their employees on the need to provide health insurance to America's 44 million uninsured persons to help the nation's hospitals.  It is estimated that 1.1 million New Jersey residents -- 15% of the State's population --do not have health insurance.  Despite their lack of health insurance, these individuals still require and receive medical care through their hospital's emergency room.  For example, Kennedy Health System last year spent $56,266,000 on uninsured care but was only reimbursed $1,785,212 from the New Jersey's Charity Care program.  These numbers demonstrate how this inefficient method of care is placing a huge burden on New Jersey's hospitals.

"When an uninsured patient receives care at one of New Jersey's hospitals, the hospital is partially reimbursed from the New Jersey Charity Care Fund", said Rep. Andrews.  "But, these hospitals are forced to bear much of the cost on their own, which places a tremendous strain on the institutions operating budget.  This is hurting our area hospitals and we must fix it by providing access to affordable insurance for these patients."  

Rep. Andrews concluded his day by joining with Assemblyman Joe Roberts and Camden City Council President Angel Fuentes to attend an event sponsored by the Camden Area Health Education Center at Rutgers University.  Congressman Andrews was honored for his unfailing support of AHEC and accessible healthcare for all Americans.  The members of AHEC presented Congressman Andrews with a painting of the Camden Waterfront in recognition for his work over the years.