Talking Points for Letter

Send to legislators representing your home or work district. Give special attention to members of the Assembly Budget Committee and Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee. See list attached.

Who should send this letter out? Hospital CEO’s, Agency Executive Directors, Board of Trustees, Senior Staff, Program Directors, Church leaders and advocates for the poor.

Deadline: letters should go out before Mid May through June 06, 2005.

Talking points for Letter to the Governor or Legislator

• I am joining the “Catholic Coalition for a Just Budget” to express my deep concern about the proposed New Jersey FY 2006 budget. New Jersey’s safety net for the poor and vulnerable is in danger of being torn apart. Without a annual increase to provider contracts, maintenance of this year’s level of charity care funding, restoration of adult enrollment into FamilyCare, elimination of prescription and Medicaid services co-pays, and an appropriation of at least $50 million for state housing vouchers we fear New Jersey’s poor and disabled residents will continue to be in jeopardy.

• We are deeply appreciative of your support for the Cost of Providing Care Coalition’s call for a 4% increase in all state contracts in fiscal year 2005. This increase allowed service providers to retain valuable staff and continue to provide quality services to our communities. However, as you are aware, costs are increasing and have outpaced the increase we received. We, therefore, request an annual increase, tied to an inflation index. Without annual increases, New Jersey is placing more than 500,000 vulnerable citizens at risk of not receiving services in a timely manner. Some provider agencies may be forced to go out of business or reduce services.

· Last year’s gain in Charity Care funding was helpful, but did not solve Catholic hospitals’ fiscal crisis. The Governor’s FY 2006 budget proposes Charity Care funding cuts, while our hospital costs have increased. At a time when the number of uninsured in the state is rising, the Legislature must not accept a budget containing any proposed cuts to charity care.

• Not restoring enrollment of single adults, couples without children and parents into the FamilyCare program has two potentially devastating effects. First, for those workers who do not have company based health insurance and do not earn enough to purchase it for themselves, it removes the one solution that enables them to maintain their health. Second, it causes a greater burden on hospitals already unable to meet the volume of uninsured New Jersey residents. Increasing healthcare demands, while decreasing resources, will negatively affect all New Jersey residents in one way or another.

• The proposed co-pays in prescription drug coverage and some Medicaid medical services is another example of balancing the budget on the backs of the poor and vulnerable.

• The lack of affordable housing is at an all-time high in New Jersey. Housing subsidies are a much more cost-effective alternative to homeless shelters. The subsidies reduce the chance of homelessness of low wage earners who can barely make ends meet. They help stabilize working families by providing them with the assurance of a steady environment.

• In summary I strongly urge you to provide a 3.3 percent increase in community provider contracts, index the cost of care to the North East Urban Wage Earners CPI, maintain charity care funding at the 2005 level, restore enrollment of adults into FamilyCare, eliminate the prescription and Medicaid medical services co-pay and appropriate $50 million for state housing vouchers. I would like to hear from you concerning your position on these matters.