Commentary: Authors Urge NJ to Reform Collapsing Public Health Plan
In a New Jersey Monitor commentary, the authors argue that New Jersey's State Health Benefits Program is collapsing under rising premiums, with some family coverage now exceeding $68,000 annually, prompting local governments to drop out, shift costs to workers, or raise property taxes. They write that labor and management groups have united behind reforms including reference-based pricing, claims auditing, and pharmacy benefit manager changes, and cite Oregon, Connecticut, Montana, and Washington as states that cut healthcare costs through public purchasing power without reducing benefits. The authors contend that allowing the plan to shrink would raise private market prices statewide and threaten retiree benefits, and they call on Gov. Sherrill and the Legislature to act. They also note that federal Medicaid cuts and reduced ACA subsidies make expanding, not cutting, public coverage more urgent.