Responding to mounting complaints from irate constituents regarding pending legislation that would raid surplus Horizon Blue Cross/Blue Shield funds, Senator Christopher J. Connors, Assemblyman Brian E. Rumpf and Assemblywoman DiAnne C. Gove issued the following statement:

“If Trenton contends that Horizon Blue Cross/Blue Shield is maintaining too much surplus, then why not just send it back to policyholders?

“It’s because Trenton is not concerned about policyholders’ costs. There’s a different agenda at work.

“This isn’t about transparency or reform. It’s an egregious money grab, even by Trenton’s standards.

“How is the state any better than Horizon if it takes and spends surplus funds that Trenton alleges were raised from overcharging policyholders?

“Mysteriously, the $300 million amount sought by the Governor from Horizon correlates with the same amount of money for special projects being negotiated as part of a State Budget deal, including school funding.

“What does a health insurance bill have to do with how school funding is distributed?

“As if we needed any further proof that our state’s school funding formula is politicized and broken.

“Our delegation won’t be leveraged into acting against the interests of our constituents under any circumstance.

“Of all the Trenton backroom deals, this stands among the worse because of the shocking indifference shown toward policyholders and property taxpayers who are being sold out in this process.”