To the editor:
When I look ahead to New Jersey’s 2019 elections, healthcare is top of my mind.
I say that as someone whose father lost his life in a long battle with addiction, one of many victims of the nationwide plague of the opioid crisis, and whose mother continues to battle a degenerative chronic illness. I also say this as someone who works in the healthcare industry—a career inspired in no small part by witnessing my parents’ struggles.
Even as healthcare policy continues to be treated as a political football in Washington, adding to the already heavy burden of worry and uncertainty facing millions of families like mine that are dealing with chronic illness, there are so many things we can do here in New Jersey to help lessen those burdens.
I am sorely disappointed in my current Assemblymembers’ record on healthcare policy: Last June, Bob Auth and Holly Schepisi voted against a measure to create a state reinsurance program to stabilize healthcare costs in New Jersey. Families like mine are expected to save $3.3 billion over the next 10 years under that policy, but my representatives in Trenton voted no—I can’t imagine why.
As someone who is living the constantly rotating rounds of specialists and medical consultations that come with my mother’s long-term medical challenges, I am also baffled as to why my Assemblymembers voted no on the law designed to protect patients from surprise “out of network” bills.
At the same time, I am inspired that this November I will have the chance to make a better choice—to choose to be represented by Gerry Falotico, who spent 10 years as a PBA president in Mahwah working to guarantee good quality affordable health coverage to his fellow officers, and by John Birkner Jr., who led the battle to re-open Pascack Valley Hospital, making sure our region could access state of the art acute medical care.
I know that both John and Gerry also plan to help lower prescription costs here in New Jersey, something else that would make a huge difference to my family.
That’s why I’ve been spending my weekends volunteering for John and Gerry’s campaign, and why I will be proud to vote for them this Nov. 5.