Advocacy
A Message from Alexander J. Hatala, President and CEO, Lourdes Health System and Catholic Health East New Jersey
Dear Lourdes Supporter:
At the State House in Trenton, Catholic Health East New Jersey recently cast a spotlight on the Faces of the Uninsured. With the support of Senate Deputy Majority Leader Joseph F. Vitale, we hosted a photo exhibit that profiled some of our patients who struggle to maintain their health without medical coverage. We did so to emphasize the vital importance of the partnership that must be sustained between health-care providers and the State if we are to continue delivering the care our patients need, regardless of their ability to pay.
The portraits of our patients should look familiar to all New Jerseyans. They are our neighbors, our friends, our family members. They hail from all over our state, facing cancer, diabetes, and other serious illnesses with no health insurance. We called upon our state legislators to remember these faces and all who have lost their jobs and health insurance in this economic downturn.
With our Franciscan roots, the hospitals of Catholic Health East New Jersey have always been committed to delivering the best in compassionate care, with a special focus on those in greatest need. However, we cannot do it alone.
We are the state’s largest faith-based hospital system, and our mission touches many, many lives. This year, our hospitals will report more than 50,000 admissions, 155,000 emergency department visits, and 400,000 outpatient and same-day procedures. And together we will provide more than $86.2 million in charity care services, providing top-quality care to many people who do not have medical coverage and who — because of age or income — do not qualify for government programs.
But statistics are impersonal. They can tell you the scope of an issue — they can’t show you its face. Take a few minutes to look closely at the Faces of the Uninsured — portraits that capture the dignity of each individual.
We cannot let a woman whose breast cancer has returned die because she lost her job and health insurance. We cannot turn away young people with juvenile diabetes because they work as freelancers and have no medical coverage. And we cannot let a lack of health coverage prevent a young athlete with a fractured ankle from receiving the expert treatment that will allow her to compete again.
The reality, of course, is that our continued ability to pursue our charitable mission remains largely dependent on our collaborative partnership with the State.
Our role in this partnership is to develop and implement innovative, cost-effective ways to provide the care New Jerseyans need and deserve. And our hospitals are doing just that — in Newark, Trenton, Willingboro, and Camden. For example, you can see that commitment in our new PACE programs — Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly; in our efforts to promote the efficiency and convenience of tele-medicine; and in our participation in a coalition to address the needs of diabetics in Greater Camden.
The State’s role in this health-care partnership is an essential one. Faith-based or secular, New Jersey hospitals all depend on the State to support our delivery of top-quality care by adequately funding Medicaid, medical education, charity care, and other programs that help ensure access to care for all in need.
On behalf of the men, women, and children we serve, we urge our legislators and Governor Corzine to recognize the tremendous importance of upholding the State’s end of the partnership.
Will hospitals receive the support they need to continue delivering care to every New Jerseyan, regardless of his or her ability to pay? We are counting on our partners in Trenton to remember the Faces of the Uninsured when they answer that question.
Please check this page often for instructions on how you can help and visit our CEO Blog for updates.
Sincerely,
Alexander J. Hatala
President and CEO
Lourdes Health System and
Catholic Health East New Jersey
New Web Site Shows Hospitals’ Vital Role in Keeping NJ Healthy
The financial challenges facing many New Jersey hospitals are well documented: Nine N.J. hospitals have closed since 2007, and six have filed for bankruptcy.
But there are other critical numbers that have received less attention: the 145,000 jobs that hospitals bring to the state and the $18 billion in hospital spending that fuels the state’s economy. Those are also key numbers that show the full picture of hospitals’ importance in their communities.
A new Web site from the New Jersey Hospital Association fills in that missing information – and more. By visiting www.keepNJhealthy.com, New Jersey residents can view the economic contributions of their local hospitals as well as the vitally important charity care services their hospitals deliver. The site also provides a convenient link for users to contact New Jersey’s elected officials and urge them to support New Jersey’s hospitals and post-acute providers.
It’s a critical period for New Jersey’s hospitals. They are facing an unprecedented combination of pressures, including:
- Sustained financial losses from key government programs such as Medicaid, Medicare and the state’s charity care program. All three programs, funded by state and federal government, pay hospitals less than their costs. In other words, hospitals lose money each time they serve a patient from one of these three key health programs.
- The lingering impact of the recession. State and national surveys of hospitals show that the recession is having a grave impact on their operations: Hospitals are treating more patients without health insurance. Insured patients – an important source of revenue for hospitals – are delaying care. Borrowing costs have increased for hospitals, making it difficult for them to update and improve their facilities. Donations to hospital foundations are drying up. Those pressures have forced many hospitals to resort to difficult cost-cutting strategies including layoffs and cuts in service.
- The important healthcare needs of New Jersey residents. In today’s recession, hospitals are seeing more and more charity care patients. None of them are turned away. And now, hospitals are being challenged by the nation’s influenza outbreak. It is vitally important that hospitals receive the support they need to be prepared for these critical healthcare challenges.
NJHA and its members are working with state officials to be part of a budget solution by exploring opportunities for additional federal matching dollars. Through this partnership, NJHA has identified a potential for an additional $20 million in federal funds that would allow the state to restore cuts proposed for graduate medical education, the Health Care Stabilization Fund and the Hospital Relief Fund. It also would allow the state to preserve an existing minimum floor for charity care reimbursement. We urge the state to fully explore this opportunity to bring much-needed dollars into New Jersey and protect our state’s healthcare system.
Quality, accessible healthcare cannot be taken for granted – not in these difficult times. Please visit www.keepNJhealthy.com to learn more and to share your concerns with elected officials.
Helping New Jersey's Uninsured Find Benefits
If you have no medical insurance, you are not alone. In the United States, nearly 47 million people have no health coverage, including more than 9 million children. New Jersey has the tenth highest percentage of uninsured, many of whom work hard but can't afford coverage. In fact, eight out of 10 uninsured American are in working families. The good news is that there are many sources of information to find heath insurance.
To learn more click here.
Imagine a Day Without Us
"Imagine A Day Without Us" is a campaign from the New Jersey Hospital Association that aims to raise awareness among lawmakers and the public about the critical need for charity care funding. View the video here.
This campaign stresses the importance of charity care funding for New Jersey hospitals. To learn more or to voice your concern to legislators, visit the New Jersey Hospital Association's advocacy website.
