BONE STATEMENT ON LEGISLATIVE PASSAGE OF S3218/A5119

Edison – Move Health Care Forward New Jersey President Dennis Bone issued the following statement today on legislative passage of S3218/A5119, legislation which amends the Health Services Corporation Act and creates a process where Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey could apply to the state to become a not-for-profit mutual health insurer:

“This legislation represents an important step forward for health care in New Jersey. By removing restrictions currently placed on Horizon – restrictions that apply to no other insurer in the state – we will create enormous potential for both Horizon’s 3.6 million members and for the state’s economy.

“Legislative leadership and the bill’s sponsors, including Senators Pou and Senator Sarlo, Senate President Sweeney, Assemblyman McKeon, Assemblywoman Downey, and Assemblymen Clifton and Wimberly, all deserve a tremendous amount of credit for crafting a bill that addresses the needs of Horizon’s members and the concerns of stakeholders. They ran an open, transparent process that took public feedback and incorporated it into this legislation. This is a good day for the future of New Jersey.”

Changing their corporate structure will allow Horizon, the state’s largest health insurer, to better adapt and evolve to the changing demands of their 3.6 million members. This change means creating better health care for New Jersey. But creating better health care for New Jersey starts with creating a better Horizon. It means creating an environment where Horizon can provide better access to and more affordable care.

About Move Health Care Forward New Jersey

Move Health Care Forward New Jersey is a 501(c)(4) established to educate the public on the value of modernizing New Jersey’s laws to facilitate advancements in affordable, accessible and quality health care by promoting health care innovation and modernization of nonprofit insurance entities. For more information on Move Health Care Forward New Jersey and the need to modernize New Jersey’s health care laws, log on to www.movehealthcareforwardnj.org.

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