Health Insurance Forum Feb. 26

New Jersey Health Insurance Exchange. Subject of Unitarian Forum Feb. 26

By James Hyatt
PRINCETON – Options for creating a New Jersey Health Insurance Exchange will be discussed on Sunday, Feb. 26 in a 12:30 p.m. forum at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Princeton. States are establishing such exchanges under the national Affordable Care Act.
The forum is sponsored by the UU Legislative Ministry in cooperation with NJ Citizen Action and the NJ for Health Care Coalition. Speakers will discuss issues such as how the Exchange might be organized, who should be represented on its board, how it can best offer access to affordable health insurance, and how the new exchange would fit in with existing New Jersey health insurance programs for individuals and for small employers.
The UU Congregation is located at 50 Cherry Hill Road in Princeton, just off Route 206. Directions are available at www.uuprinceton.org/directions.
Planning for a New Jersey Health Insurance Exchange is well underway; the state received a $1 million federal planning grant in 2010, and the Rutgers University Center for State Health Policy has been conducting surveys and forums on exchange design issues. The exchange would have to be created by the New Jersey Legislature.
A key issue to be decided is whether an exchange would, as proposed by consumer advocates, negotiate with health insurers to bring down costs. Health insurance firms, market on the other hand, want to be able to market products of their choosing through the exchange.
An estimated 1.1 million New Jersey residents don�t have health insurance. The Rutgers Center estimates the Affordable Care Act would result in coverage for 444,000 residents in 2014 through the exchange, or through enrollment in Medicaid. Although the Act is being challenged in the U.S. Supreme Court, state officials are proceeding with planning in order to meet federal deadlines.
The UU Legislative Ministry of New Jersey is an organization of 19 congregations in the state that seek to provide information on issues of social justice.
Jim Hyatt 609-497-6801