In The News
DOING MORE THAN WORRYING ABOUT SURPRISE MEDICAL BILLS
Consumer advocates, insurance companies, hospitals, and physicians believe it is high time for New Jersey to do more to protect patients against surprise bills from out-of-network healthcare providers.
They have good reason to be concerned: Unplanned out-of-network charges have become a growing problem as more and more patients find they owe hundreds if not thousands of dollars for treatments — often specialist care — even when they try to select a provider who is part of their insurance network.
N.J. could become 2nd state with public database of convicted animal abusers
New Jersey may become the second state with a public database of convicted animal abusers.
A bill sponsoring the database passed the state Assembly and now will be voted on by the state Senate.
The bill was created by Rep. Troy Singleton (D). Singleton said the database would track anyone charged with animal cruelty and can be used by animal rescues and shelters to help deciding who should adopt pets.
The bill would also bar any convicted animal abusers from becoming an animal control officer.
Parents: Here's how online predators target your kids
Editorial
You've probably never heard of Ask.fm, Omegle.com or KeepSafe. Chances are your children have.
That knowledge haunts N.J. State Police Lt. John Pizzuro, who sees first-hand the damage cyber predators can inflict on youngsters, often while their parents sit in blissful ignorance in another room.
Pizzuro is a commander of the Internet Crimes Against Children Taskforce, a coalition of 61 groups representing more than 3,500 federal, state and local law enforcement and prosecutorial agencies nationwide.
The Garden State unit fields 2,500 cyber tips a year, the fifth highest total in the country, Pizzuro recently told 101.5 Radio.
NJ hospitals: Obamacare repeal would slam us
New Jersey hospitals would be hit hard by the repeal of Obamacare if Congress doesn't replace it with a law that would include similar levels of insurance coverage, their trade group said Thursday.
Hospitals would lose money from both private insurance and Medicaid reimbursements. They would need to treat more consumers who lose their coverage in emergency departments. And both would put a strain on their bottom line, officials said.
2016 Investment Returns for Public-Employee Pension Up 7%, Much Better Than in 2015
New figures don’t negate fundamental funding problems, but they bring some good news for the beleaguered pension system
The board that oversees New Jersey’s beleaguered public-employee pension system received some good news yesterday as new figures showed overall investment returns finished ahead by about 7 percent last year.
N.J. Assemblyman: Repeal And Replace Obamacare? Consumers Beware
Opinion
By: Troy Singleton
With Congress moving full-steam ahead with the dubious "repeal and replace" strategy for the Affordable Care Act, voters would be wise to remember that many times when something seems too good to be true, it usually is.
For those who are insured under the ACA, and even sympathetic voters who aren't, the right to affordable health care should be a clarion call to pay attention to the details and let your congressional representatives know that you don't want Congress dismantling critical components that have provided millions of the newly insured with peace of mind.
Wimberly, Singleton, Sumter & Jimenez Bill Giving National Guard & Reserve Members Second Chance at Law Enforcement, Firefighter Jobs Advances
An Assembly panel on Thursday approved legislation sponsored by Assembly Democrats Benjie Wimberly, Troy Singleton, Shavonda Sumter and Angelica Jimenez providing a second chance at employment for members of the National Guard or the Reserves who could not accept a position as a police officer or firefighter because of service to the nation.
NJ Lawmakers Kick Off Debate Over School Funding
TRENTON — New Jersey lawmakers heard from numerous education stakeholders about the state's school funding disparities this week, but the only real consensus from the school officials is that more money is needed and that Gov. Chris Christie's proposal would cause chaos.
Christie Set To Impose Pain Pill Limits Despite N.J. Doctors' Objections
TRENTON - Gov. Christie wants to tackle opioid addiction by limiting the number of pills physicians can initially prescribe - an idea experts say could reduce excess supply but may cause some pain patients to go days without medication.
DWI Penalty Overhaul In NJ: Shorter License Suspensions, More Ignition Locks?
Though an earlier version of the plan was vetoed by Gov. Chris Christie, lawmakers have advanced a proposal to require all people convicted of drunk driving to have ignition interlocks in their cars but cutting down how long their licenses are suspended.