2010

Getting Health Care Right
Holding our Hospitals Accountable

In 2009, in contracts and through legislation, we fought to keep our hospitals focused on the basics of patient care, instead of spending on CEO salaries and perks and fancy lobbies. We fought to improve staffing levels for patient care, and to maintain safe and decent working conditions for healthcare workers.

Now the fight moves to the NJ and federal legislature, to change the laws we need changed to hold our health care system accountable to the patients we serve, not to the insurance companies or for-profit owners. We have a new Governor, Chris Chrstie, who has already promised to freeze many of the safeguards we fought for (see transition report).

Already, HPAE was successful in winning new laws requiring hospitals to hold annual open public meetings; provide training for Board members; and allow the NJDHSS to more closely monitor and intervene in financially troubled hospitals. Other priorities for HPAE/COPE that hold our health system accountable to patient care and our communities:

• Safe staffing for our patients (A660/Greenstein): requiring hospitals to establish safe nurse-to-patient staffing levels; TAKE ACTION: Tell Your State Senator you support requiring hospitals to establish safe nurse-to-patient staffing levels.
• Hold hospital boards accountable by limiting board conflicts of interests that might divert resources from patient care (S369/Weinberg); TAKE ACTION: Tell Your State Senator you support ending conflicts among hospital boards of trustees.
• Require for-profit hospitals to disclose their finances (A1523/Wagner): This legislation requires for-profits to provide the public with information about where their patient care funds go – into profits, or patient care. TAKE ACTION: Tell Your Assemblymember to support A1523
• TAKE ACTION: Tell Your State Senate to support bill S911 which upgrades penalties for assaulting certain health care professionals and workers.

Other COPE Priorities:

• (S809/Vitale) establishes licensing for dieticians/nutrionists;
• (S362/Weinberg) allows for direct payment of benefits to providers; [More here]
• (S363/Weinberg) establishes state task force for Health Information Technology, with HPAE as member representatives;
• (A662/Greenstein) bans imposition of terms and conditions of contract by public employers;
• (A3729/S2532/Weinberg/Gordon/Huttle) which requires the Department of Banking and Insurance to more carefully scrutinize and hold public hearings;
• (S369/A656/Weinberg) requires each hospital board of trustees to adopt a written policy governing conflicts of interest; [More here]
• (A936/Huttle/Handlin/Munoz) requires managed care plans to pay health care claims based on assignment of benefits.
• (A4090/S1468/Weinberg) requires for-profit hospitals to disclose financial information.

Click here for audio of Jeanne Otersen’s testimony before the Assembly Health and Senior Services Committee on February 8, 2010 in support of A656 requiring hospital boards of trustees to have conflict of interest policies.

Latest News

Weinberg/Gordon Measure Would Require Hospitals To Adopt Conflicts Of Interest Policy
February 4, 2010

TRENTON -- A measure sponsored by Senators Loretta Weinberg and Bob Gordon which would require hospital boards of trustees to adopt a policy regulating conflicts of interest on the part of board members was approved today by the Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee.

Senate Panel Green Lights Girgenti Bill Cracking Down On Assaults Against Health Care Workers
February 4, 2010

TRENTON – A measure sponsored by Senator John Girgenti, aimed at deterring assaults against healthcare professionals by upgrading the penalties for such an offense, was unanimously approved today by the Senate Law and Public Safety Committee.

Take Action Letters

Dear Senator:
I am writing to encourage your support and vote for (S369/A656/Weinberg) which would require all of our hospitals to have policies to limit and disclose any conflicts of interest among their Board of Trustee members. When Board members conduct business with the hospital on whose board they serve, it has the potential to influence decisions affecting hospital finances and the use of scarce patient care resources. The public has a right to know how these decisions are made, and all hospitals should abide by the same standards of accountability and transparency.
Thank you,
[click here to send letter]

Dear Assembly member:
I am writing about A660, sponsored by Assemblywoman Greenstein and Assemblyman Moriarity, establishing safe staffing standards in all of our hospitals – for all of our patients. Safe staffing levels are essential to quality patient care, reduces medical errors and complications, and saves money by improving the effectiveness of care. Please support A660.
Sincerely,
[click here to send letter]

Dear Assembly member:
I am writing to ask for your support for A1523, sponsored by Assemblywoman Connie Wagner, which requires for-profit hospitals to provide the public with adequate financial information regarding the use of patient care funds, and the business entities, vendors and profits of the owners. When for-profit companies take over our community hospitals, there is an obligation to meet the health care needs of the community first, and to let the public know whether the mission of the hospital is being sustained – or sacrificed to profit. I urge your support for this disclosure.
Sincerely,
[click here to send letter]

On the national level, HPAE is working with the AFL-CIO and Healthcare for America Now to enact real health care reform. Our principles for any health care reform include Choice, Accessibility, Quality and Affordability. Real Health Care Reform must include a public plan as an alternative – to help set standards, provide choice for individuals and small companies, provide competition for insurance companies, and to lower costs through negotiation with drug companies and providers.

Join HPAE members in the fight for national health care reform. Contact your local COPE representative or Jean Pierce at jpierce@hpae.org.