Good News in the Fight for Parity in New Jersey!

The efforts to win insurance parity in New Jersey took a huge step forward today!

The Financial Institutions and Insurance Committee agreed to move A1011, a bill that would require health benefits coverage for orthotic and prosthetic appliances, out of Committee.

Assemblyman Neil Cohen, indicated that the bill will move out of committee. "An official vote will be held before it moves to the floor." Chairman Cohen said that the fiscal impact of the bill appeared to be "nominal" and that there was no reason to keep it from moving forward. 

In 2004, Assemblyman Vincent Prieto, Assemblyman Brian P. Stack and Assemblyman Neil M. Cohen sponsored A2774 a similar bill to cover and reimburse care for people with limb loss. That bill never left committee. This makes today’s progress even more exciting.

Thank you to all of the ACA members in New Jersey who called and wrote to members of the Insurance Committee.

Your actions truly made a difference!

We still have a lot of work to do to get the bill passed, but, with your continued activism, we are confident that we will continue to make progress.

Call the Committee today to thank them for their support of Bill A1011!

• Contact the Committee members electronically by clicking on the link below. Select the municipality/district and fill out the online form. (http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/Selectmun.asp)
• A sample e-mail with talking points is included below.

Chair:  Assemblyman Neil Cohen (D) Phone: (908) 624-0880 Municipality: Union, District 20	Vice-Chair: Assemblyman Michael Panter (D) Phone: (732) 544-2116 Municipality: Shrewsbury, District 12
Assemblyman Christopher Bateman (R) Phone: (908) 526-3600    Municipality: Somerville, District 16	Assemblyman Jack Connors (D) Phone: (856) 461-3997 Municipality: Delran, District 7
Assemblyman John F. McKeon (D) Phone: (973) 275-1113 Municipality: South Orange, District 27	Assemblywoman Charlotte Vandervalk (R) Phone: (201) 666-0881 Municipality: Westwood, District 39
Assemblyman John S. Wisniewski (D) Phone: (732) 316-1885 Municipality: Carteret, District 19

Sample E-mail Dear Assemblyman/Assemblywoman,

I am writing to thank the members of the Financial Institutions and Insurance Committee for your support of A1011, a bill that would require health benefits coverage for orthotic and prosthetic appliances.

Every day in this country, children are born with missing limbs, teenagers have amputations as a result of cancer and adults lose limbs to diabetes.Right now, many of these people are being told that their insurance company restricts them to one prosthesis per lifetime or to $2,500 or less per year in prosthetic care. That is why your support is so important.

Thank you again for your support of A1011. This bill will help ensure that people with limb loss are given the opportunity to lead a full and productive life.

Sincerely,

Your Name and Address