[mla-nynj] Quote from Chapter Chair Micki McIntyre for Rally -- Attracts Long List of Supporters for NJ Hospitals

[Michelle Brewer]

Dear Chapter,
A special thanks to our own and Micki McIntyre, Chair, NY-NJ Chapter,
MLA and Jeannine Creazzo, HSLANJ  President,  for their quotations,
included in the NJHA press release, May 12. See headline in "Top of the
News" http://www.njha.com/index.aspx excerpted below, fyi.
If you could not attend, go to the Virtual Rally and send your support
to NJ legislators and the governor: www.njhadvocacy.com
---------------------------
Rally Attracts Long List of Supporters
A diverse coalition of groups including AARP, the Medical Society of New
Jersey and scores of additional organizations representing healthcare
workers, nursing homes, mental health agencies and others raised their
voices today in support of New Jersey hospitals.
More than 2,500 hospital advocates amassed at the State House today in
the "Care Today, Gone Tomorrow" rally. The group protested the nearly
$300 million in proposed state cuts to healthcare programs, including a
$143 million hit to the charity care program that funds hospital care
for the uninsured.
Nearly 20 organizations shared statements of support with the hospital
crowd. They include:
"AARP believes that cutting funding for charity care too drastically
could endanger local access to healthcare services. Cuts to healthcare
providers and increased barriers to services will only make matters
worse for everyone." - Sy Larson, AARP State President
"Our members, the 12,000 nurses and healthcare workers in HPAE, are on
the frontlines of delivering quality healthcare in times of enormous
financial stresses on our healthcare system. Now is not the time to cut
funding to our hospitals, but it is time to find new ways to provide
health coverage to all of our communities Cutting care to our hospitals
simply shifts the costs of healthcare onto our patients and hospitals,
who cannot carry the additional burden without threatening access to
quality care." - Ann Twomey, President, Health Professionals and Allied
Employees 
"Whereas, Gov. Corzine has proposed massive cuts in the charity care
budget and hospitals will see millions of dollars cut from their charity
care programs, ..., and whereas, to demonstrate the Medical Society of
New Jersey's goodwill in the spirit of cooperation and in opposition to
this unfair and harmful cut to the healthcare budget, which will result
in diminished care for New Jersey's medically indigent patients, now
therefore be it resolved that the Medical Society of New Jersey stands
in support of the New Jersey Hospital Association's efforts to prevent
the proposed cuts in the charity care budget." - Michael Kornett, CEO
and Executive Director, and R. Prasad Gupta, MD, President, Medical
Society of New Jersey
"An $18 million cut in Graduate Medical Education funding could
eliminate 4,000 physicians-in-training positions over a 10-year period,
exacerbating New Jersey's protected physician shortage. In addition,
already six hospitals in the last 18 months have closed their doors
forever. Half of our remaining healthcare institutions are losing money
- victims of chronic underfunding. The Corzine Administration has even
admitted its latest cuts are likely to force the closure of additional
hospitals. The future of healthcare in New Jersey depends on us making
our concerns heard." - Richard Goldstein, MD, President, N.J. Council of
Teaching Hospitals
"We agree with Gov. Corzine's statements that healthcare access for the
poor and vulnerable should be a priority that is not sacrificed. Without
restoration of the cuts, the poor and vulnerable will be harmed as
programs are forced to close." - Fr. Joe Kukura, Executive Director,
Catholic HealthCare Partnership of New Jersey
"To cut charity care funding by $143 million is irresponsible and
dangerous. As nurses, this concerns us deeply. We diligently strive to
provide timely, appropriate and compassionate care to all in need.
However, we fear the increased burden on the remaining open hospitals
will create unsafe situations, result in decreased patient satisfaction
and foster less positive patient outcomes." - Patricia Daley, RN,
Executive Director, Organization of Nurse Executives/New Jersey
"We are deeply concerned about the cumulative impact of cuts to the
hospital system on the mental health services provided to New Jersey's
most vulnerable citizens. The combination of reductions in Charity Care,
Graduate Medical Education and Medicaid rates for children's and adult
partial hospitalization services, as well as the closures of numerous
hospitals, threatens access to critical mental health services for
individuals in need." - Debra L. Wentz, Chief Executive Officer, New
Jersey Association of Mental Health Agencies
"The Association of Diploma Schools of Professional Nursing supports the
N.J. Hospital Association's efforts to reinstate the more than $143
million in cuts to the charity care subsidy. The proposed cuts will
cause more hospital closures and less access to care for the state's
most vulnerable citizens. We need quality, accessible healthcare in our
state." - Bonny Ross, EdD, RN, President, Association of Diploma Schools
of Professional Nursing
"As Patient Advocates working in New Jersey hospitals, we are extremely
concerned about the Governors proposed $143 million subsidy cut to
charity care and the $90 million cut to our nursing centers. We see
patients everyday within our hospitals and nursing homes who do not have
insurance or adequate insurance to cover the costs of their care. Even
now, with the current levels of funding, it is extremely upsetting for
patients and families to have long waits in our Emergency Departments
because of the volume of patients that come to our facilities with no
insurance. For some of my colleagues, these cuts will mean the closure
of their hospital. What will that do to the waits in the surrounding
area's Emergency Departments and hospitals? How long will people in New
Jersey have to wait to receive the care they need - if they can receive
it at all? We join NJHA in support of all its efforts to work with the
Governor to help him see how these cuts will affect the most vulnerable
of his constituents, as well as the workers who put themselves on the
line each and every day in an effort to provide the care our patients
need." - Teresa Lawlor, President, New Jersey Society for Healthcare
Consumer Advocates 
"As a long time partner in the effort to deliver healthcare services to
the uninsured and underserved, the Home Care Association of New Jersey
supports the New Jersey Hospital Association and its campaign to direct
additional funding in the budget for this important purpose. Home health
agencies across this state provide uncompensated care each and every day
and thus we encourage the state to increase charity care for hospitals
and reimbursement for other providers who are critical to the healthcare
system." - Sherl Brand, President and CEO, Home Care Association of New
Jersey
"The compounded effect of reimbursement cuts contained in past budgets
is taking its toll on nursing facilities and the residents for whom they
provide care. The 29,000 frail and elderly Medicaid beneficiaries who
depend on nursing facilities for their care simply cannot afford to have
their Medicaid payments to these facilities reduced yet again." - Paul
Langevin, President, Health Care Association of New Jersey
"The state's charity care plan fails not only New Jersey's hospitals,
but also the vulnerable patients they serve. Most of these individuals
are New Jersey's working poor, those who hold jobs but who do not
receive an insurance benefit and can't afford health insurance on their
own. Every hospital across the state provides care for these patients in
the Emergency Room and throughout the hospital. On behalf of the
Healthcare Planning and Marketing Society of New Jersey, I respectfully
urge the State to reinstate funding for charity care in the 2009
budget." - Anthony Stanowski, President, Healthcare Planning and
Marketing Society of New Jersey
"As providers of occupational therapy in New Jersey's hospitals, nursing
homes and community facilities, our members address recovery of
important life skills for citizens at risk of losing them due to
illness, accident or developmental problems. The lack of accessible
healthcare within these critical institutions will cause greater
dependency and greater cost for everyone in the state, and in the end,
for the state as well - this is not a cost savings." - Cynthia Epstein,
State Liaison, New Jersey Occupational Therapy Association 
"The disappearance of hospitals in our communities not only means the
loss of thousands of jobs, but more importantly, it seriously impedes
access to quality healthcare. Governor Corzine's 2009 budget proposes
nearly $300 million in healthcare cuts, including $143 million for
charity care services for the uninsured and a total of $90 million in
state and federal cuts to nursing homes. Should this proposed cut go
through, New Jersey will undoubtedly see more hospital closures and job
reductions. New Jersey hospitals and their employees provide the
safety-net care to our uninsured residents. We respectfully ask our
elected officials to support appropriate funding for charity care in the
2009 budget and oppose the proposed cuts to this program." - Micki
McIntyre, Chair, NY-NJ Chapter of the Medical Library Association
"The Health Sciences Association of New Jersey Library Association
(www.hslanj.org <http://www.hslanj.org/> ) fully supports and
appreciates the efforts of healthcare advocates attending the rally on
May 12, 2008. It is imperative that all members of the New Jersey
healthcare community work together in order to ensure that New Jerseyans
continue to have access to quality healthcare." - Jeannine Creazzo,
President, Health Sciences Library Association of New Jersey
"All demographic forecasts show a growth in the number of people over
65. As our citizens age there will clearly be a need for more hospitals
and nursing homes. This is the sort of factual research information that
needs to underpin actions about government policy and decisions.
Libraries of all types, but in particular those in government and the
medical field, can provide this support. It would seem unfathomable that
a case could be made for fewer hospitals, fewer nursing homes and fewer
medical libraries in healthcare settings." - Stephen Abram, President,
Special Libraries Association
"Access to healthcare by our most vulnerable population has been eroding
for years. The Governor's proposed budget will now accelerate the crisis
by forcing even more hospitals to close. The Hospital Fund Raising
Executives of New Jersey decries the reduction in charity care and
supports rational prioritization of budget cuts." - Roman N. Lucky,
President, Hospital Fund Raising Executives of New Jersey 
"As a board member and secretary for the N.J. Chapter HiMSS, it is most
important that our children, the elderly and all residents of New Jersey
be given the opportunity to receive good - no, excellent - healthcare.
We cannot turn our backs on the institutions and the caregivers. Please
support our hospitals, doctors and nurses. Do not cut the spending in
healthcare." - Anthony Ferrante, Healthcare Information Management and
Systems Society
"As President of The New Jersey Association of Healthcare Recruiters, I
am concerned about healthcare delivery in our state and support the
efforts proposed by NJHA to maintain our healthcare institutions as
viable resources and services for our citizens. We are fortunate to have
qualified nurses and allied health professionals available in our state
to be able to deliver the care that New Jerseyans are seeking and need."
- Diane Poulios, RN, President, New Jersey Association of Healthcare
Recruiters
"Hospitals are a vital part of any community and the perceived cost
saved by closing hospitals cannot measure up to the price communities
will pay because residents lack access to quality, local healthcare." -
Tim Collins, President, EBSCO Publishing
"Knowing the state and the quality of care residents receive from New
Jersey hospitals, it is alarming to consider the impact of such
widespread hospital closures. Communities and the state at large depend
on these services to provide for the financially neediest residents to
the sickest individuals. Closing hospitals cannot be the answer to a
fiscal crisis, but rather an invitation to further crises." - Parker
Livermore, Senior Director of Worldwide Medical Sales, EBSCO Publishing
Source: NJHA NewsLink Today, May 12, 2008
Sincerely,

Michelle M. Volesko Brewer
Dir. Lib. & Corp. Info. Svcs.
New Jersey Hospital Association 
Voice: 609-275-4230; Fax: 609-275-4107
Email: Work mbrewer at njha.com
http://www.njha.com/librarysection/index.aspx

Michelle