In The News
Support for NJ bill to rein in health costs
A coalition of consumer health groups gave its support Wednesday to proposed New Jersey legislation to rein in surprise medical bills for consumers who inadvertently use out-of-network health care providers.
AARP poll shows support for state-administered retirement plans
TRENTON — Most New Jersey voters are anxious about their retirement savings, and a majority of them support the idea of the state administering retirement accounts for private workers who don't have them through their jobs, according to a new AARP poll.
Christie Administration Stands Firm on Less-Detailed Tax-Revenue Reports
As Gov. Chris Christie took on a staggering $1 billion budget shortfall last year by delaying property tax relief and slashing funding for public-worker retirements, his administration also made a subtle shift in how the state discloses monthly tax-collection data.
N.J. health care coalition releases report backing out-of-network bill
A major New Jersey-based health care coalition released a report Wednesday in support of the passage of an out-of-network health care bill, which is currently being considered by the state Legislature.
N.J. Class of 2019 won't have to pass PARCC to graduate
TRENTON — New Jersey's new class of high school freshmen won't have to pass the PARCC exams to graduate, and some students in 11th grade will be exempt from taking PARCC's English test this year, the state's Department of Education announced today.
WWII veteran honored in Burlington Township
Now in his 90s, MacClemmy recently was recognized for his service and honored by Acacia Hospice. He received the Air Combat Action Commemorative certificate and medal. In addition, New Jersey Assemblyman Troy Singleton, D-7th of Palmyra, presented a proclamation from the state honoring his service and sacrifice.
Analysis: Pricey problems await N.J. lawmakers
When the Legislature broke for summer recess and Governor Christie launched his presidential campaign the next day, New Jersey’s lawmakers and its chief executive left a pair of large policy issues unresolved.
The return of the 216th Legislature this month — or at least the Senate portion of it — will bring the public employee pension fund and the state’s transportation bank account back into focus.
Judge rules Franklin Lakes parents must pay surprise out-of-network medical bill
In a lawsuit that illustrates how inescapable surprise medical bills can be, a judge in Bergen County has sided with an anesthesiology practice that did not accept a patient’s insurance for emergency services at The Valley Hospital in Ridgewood and sued the patient for payment.
The judge found that the bill was reasonable and that the doctor had no obligation to figure out — “at midnight” — whether the patient’s insurance would cover the anesthesia she needed to deliver her baby.
NJ SPOTLIGHT: NARROW INSURANCE NETWORKS -- POPULAR IN NJ -- EXTEND TO RELATIVELY FEW PROVIDERS
New Jersey was among the states with the largest share of health insurance plans that offered relatively little choice of doctors to individual consumers, according to a new research brief.
Two of three New Jersey insurance networks that were studied included fewer than 25 percent of the doctors in the state, according to researchers with the University of Pennsylvania. Networks that extend to relatively few doctors are known as “narrow networks.”
N.J. moves to block Obama clean energy rules
The Christie administration on Wednesday officially moved to block the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's implementation of new clean-energy rules, blasting them as "unprecedented regulatory overreach."
Gov. Christie, who is seeking the Republican presidential nomination, announced his opposition to the rules immediately after President Obama unveiled them last month as part of an ambitious effort to combat climate change.