| RARITAN, N.J. — Rep. Rob Andrews (D-Haddon Heights) today addressed the members of the Somerset County Employer Legislative Committee at the Acqua Ristorante in Raritan on the Nation's growing healthcare crisis. The Congressman was highly critical of President Bush's lack of direction on this crucial issue which effects every American family. Congressman Andrews accused the President of having misguided priorities when it comes to America's working families.
"The President failed to adequately address the issue of skyrocketing healthcare costs in his State of the Union address this past week," said Andrews. " I am gravely concerned by his rosy assessment of the nation's economy when many Americans received a significant pay cut this past year as a result of rising out of pocket healthcare costs."
Rep. Andrews told the group of approximately 40 business leaders from Somerset County that the President has turned a blind eye to the fact that rising healthcare costs are diminishing the quality of life of many American families. Working Americans with health insurance are finding it increasingly difficult to make ends meet due to rising co pays and healthcare premiums. Many of the employers in the room have experienced 20% increases in the cost of the health insurance programs this past year and in most cases, these employers have been forced to pass some or all of these increased costs on to their employees. The Congressman proposed a solution to this problem by allowing more health insurers entry into the marketplace. He explained that increased competition among health insurers would force insurers to lower prices in order to remain competitive.
The current system prohibits most employers from purchasing health insurance from insurers outside their state because each state sets up different regulations to qualify its insurers. As such, a small number of insurers have a monopoly on the health insurance market in a particular state. The Congressman is currently exploring a strategy that would create one federal system for qualifying all health insurers and would allow employers to purchase health insurance for their employees from any qualified plan across the country.
"Those of us paying homeowners insurance know that these premiums have not jumped dramatically over the past ten years even though these insurance companies get sued and pay out judgments all the time. This is because there is a competitive national market from which to choose a homeowner's insurance carrier," said Andrews. "We need the same type of competition in the health insurance market to give employers more options to help afford the cost of health insurance for their employees."
As part of an entire day to improving access to healthcare, Rep. Andrews visited CAMcare Health Corporation (CAMcare), in Camden to thank that agency for its dedication to serving the healthcare needs of Camden City's children. CAMcare is a voluntary not-for-profit community based primary health center whose mission is to provide comprehensive health services to underserved families in the City of Camden. Rep. Andrews touted the highly successful, federally funded New Jersey FamilyCare Program. CAMcare relies on this beneficial program as a source of funding to help serve the healthcare needs of Camden City's children. NJFamilycare has succeeded in providing health insurance to over 13,000 children in Burlington, Camden, and Gloucester counties and 93,000 children throughout New Jersey.
"I thank the Camcare Health Corporation led by its President Mark Bryant for their work to ensure that underprivileged children have access to quality healthcare. Through the selfless work of agencies like CAMcare and innovative programs like NJ Familycare we are working to improve the quality of life and health of every child regardless of their economic status," said Andrews. "Despite significant public relations efforts, only 56% of eligible children have enrolled in NJ Familycare. We must do more to educate parents and children as to the availability of this program." |
