FROM: legislative-network [legislative-network-service@mhanj.biglist.com]
Action Needed
Let the Legislature and the Governor Know that You Oppose Medicaid Co-Pays
***Send Letters Between Now and the First Week of May***
Issue:
If passed in the FY '07-'08 budget, Medicaid co-pays will harm the most vulnerable citizens of New Jersey, who will be forced to choose between prescription drugs and other important health care services, rent, heat, food and/or transportation for themselves and their children.
It is both financially and morally correct for New Jersey to protect vulnerable individuals from choosing between needed health care services and other essential items. Those who will be affected by these co-pays include people in New Jersey’s lowest income households, including those on fixed incomes, such as senior citizens, people with disabilities and consumers of mental health services.
All national health services research has consistently shown that co-payments cause low-income people to forgo health care services. When people forgo essential services -- because they cannot afford them states see costly consequences, such as increased use of emergency rooms for treatment, short term care units and psychiatric hospitals.
The argument that New Jersey should do what 45 other states have done
by instituting Medicaid co-pays is wrong.
Action Steps
Send letters and e-mails to your legislators and the Governor letting them know that you oppose Medicaid co-pays.
Explain the negative effect that co-pays will have on you and other individuals who are poor. Explain how much money you bring in each month, then explain how much money you must spend on rent, food, transportation, heat and health services.
To find out who represents you in Trenton and get his or her contact information, go to:
http://www.mhanj.org
and click on "Who Represents You?"
To send a message to the Governor, use the link or address shown here:
http://www.state.nj.us/governor/govmail.html
Governor Corzine
The State House
P.O. Box 001
Trenton, NJ 08625
The Coalition on a Moral Budget will send additional information in May on how you can further impact the budget process to ensure that Medicaid beneficiaries will not have co-pays.
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Greater Paramus News and Lifestyle Magazine
http://www.paramuspost.com/article.php/20070416170340796