New Jersey Governor Includes Funds For Health Insurance Bill In State Budget

New Jersey Governor Includes Funds For Health Insurance Bill In State Budget in Politics and Legislation

UPDATE 6/27/08: The bill passed both the Houses of Congress in New Jersey, reported the Gannet State Bureau. Now, all that’s left is for Governor Corzine to sign the measure into law.

ORIGINAL POST:

New Jersey Governor Jon S. Corzine recently announced that he would include a big chunk of money in the state’s new budget for universal health insurance coverage for children, and expand coverage for low-income residents.

How big a chunk? $8 million.

Governor Corzine is expected to sign the budget early next week, reported an article from the Associated Press.

The $8 million will pay for the health reform bill that requires every child in New Jersey to obtain health insurance and almost doubles the income eligibility limit for state-subsidized coverage.

But will $8 million be enough?

“We put our best estimate down. [But] I think it’s highly uncertain where we’ll be,” said Governor Corzine.

We’ve seen the high costs of implementing mandated health insurance coverage. In Massachusetts, universal health care has cost hundreds of millions of dollars — and continues to increase.

And the New Jersey is in tight budget constraints, raising questions of whether the health care proposition is a good move.

“This bill not only compounds the problems with our health care, but it lacks dedicated funding to support it,” said state Assemblyman Jay Webber.

While there might not be a surplus of money in New Jersey’s budget, Governor Corzine says “[the bill] is absolutely one of the most important things we’re taking on.”

Roughly 1.5 million residents in New Jersey don’t have coverage — and some 275,000 are children, reported the AP article.

The bill’s advocates also argue children should have a right to health care access.

“These are kids who have to wait until they’re very seriously ill or hurt before they can go to the hospital to have access to care. As a moral society, we cannot turn our backs on the plight of these kids,” explained state Senator Joseph Vitale, the author of the bill.

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