ASSEMBLY CONCURRENT RESOLUTION No. 59
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
INTRODUCED FEBRUARY 5, 1996
By Assemblywoman WEINBERG and Assemblyman ROMANO
A Concurrent Resolution directing the Assembly and Senate Committees on Health and Human Services to jointly review the implementation of P.L.1992, c.160, the "Health Care Reform Act of 1992," and directing the Senate Commerce Committee and the Assembly Insurance Committee to jointly review the implementation of P.L.1992, c.161 and P.L.1992, c.162.
Be It Resolved by the General Assembly of the State of New Jersey (the Senate concurring):
Whereas, The Legislature and the Governor have publicly committed themselves to take all necessary and appropriate actions to ensure access to health care services, and the provision of high quality and cost-effective health care, to all of the citizens of New Jersey; and
Whereas, As a result of the U.S. District Court decision in United Wire, Metal & Machine Health and Welfare Fund v. Morristown Memorial Hospital, 793 F. Supp.524 (D.N.J.1992), the State established a new mechanism for the funding of hospital uncompensated care and a new hospital reimbursement system; and
Whereas, The swift enactment of P.L.1992, c.160, designated the "Health Care Reform Act of 1992," in order to ensure that the State would retain its eligibility for federal Medicaid disproportionate share funding, and to ensure the continued availability of funding for hospital care for medically indigent patients, and the comprehensive nature of this legislation and the changes incorporated therein warrant a thorough legislative review of the implementation of this new law, particularly in the context of widespread concern about the possible impact of this new law on: the cost of hospital care, the continued financial viability of urban and teaching hospitals, and continued access to hospital care among the urban residents of our State; and
Whereas, The Legislature and the Governor concurrently provided for measures to increase access to individual and small group health insurance coverage among the uninsured residents of our State through the enactment of P.L.1992, c.161 and P.L.1992, c.162, respectively, and the importance of these legislative measures also warrants a careful legislative review of their implementation; and
Whereas, It is appropriate for the Legislature to consider the need for such revisions in P.L.1992, c.160, and in P.L.1992, c.160 and P.L.1992, c.161, as are in the public interest; now, therefore,
1. The Assembly and Senate Committees on Health and Human Services are directed to conduct a joint review of the implementation of P.L.1992, c.160 (C.26:2H-18.51 et al.), designated the "Health Care Reform Act of 1992." The purpose of this review is to evaluate issues and develop recommendations relating to the implementation of the "Health Care Reform Act of 1992," with a view to taking such legislative actions as may be necessary to revise the law in order to enhance its feasibility of achieving meaningful health care reform with respect to cost containment and access to quality health care for all of the residents of New Jersey.
The committees shall jointly present their findings and recommendations to the Speaker of the General Assembly and the President of the Senate no later than January 10, 1994.
2. The Assembly Insurance Committee and the Senate Commerce Committee are directed to conduct a joint review of the implementation of P.L.1992, c.161 (C.17:B-27A-2 et seq.) and P.L.1992, c.162 (C.17:B-27A-17 et seq.). The purpose of this review is to evaluate issues and develop recommendations relating to the implementation of these measures with a view to taking such legislative actions as may be necessary to revise these laws in order to enhance their feasibility of achieving meaningful health insurance reform with respect to cost containment and access to quality health care for all of the residents of New Jersey.
The committees shall jointly present their findings and recommendations to the Speaker of the General Assembly and the President of the Senate no later than January 10, 1994.
STATEMENT
This concurrent resolution directs the Assembly and Senate Committees on Health and Human Services to jointly review the implementation of P.L.1992, c.160, the "Health Care Reform Act of 1992," and also directs the Assembly Insurance Committee and the Senate Commerce Committee to jointly review the implementation of P.L.1992, c.161 and P.L.1992, c.162. The committees are further directed to present their findings and recommendations, based upon their respective joint reviews, to the Speaker of the General Assembly and the President of the Senate no later than January 10, 1994.
Directs joint review by standing legislative reference committees of P.L.1992, c.160, P.L.1992, c.161 and P.L.1992, c.162.