Health care reform is at the forefront of conversations in state legislatures and our nation's capitol. Over the past decade, there has been a significant shift in awareness, attitudes, and the vision for creating real health care reform in this country. With skyrocketing health care costs and deteriorating access to affordable coverage, more people are demanding change for a stronger health care system that is there when they need it.
Consumer Voices for Coverage, a joint initiative of Community Catalyst and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), focuses on ensuring consumer concerns are represented in both state and national health care reform.
In February 2008, Consumer Voices for Coverage began to boost the enormous groundswell of activity at the state level to reduce the number of people living without health insurance. The program supports the important role that state-based consumer health advocacy can play in promoting innovative and comprehensive health reform efforts. As the National Program Office, Community Catalyst provides significant technical assistance and support to 12 grantees on the cusp of advancing health reform in their states.
Six additional grantees joined the program in November 2008 to advance efforts to achieve health reform at the national level. Community Catalyst provides the state-based consumer advocates with the skills, expertise and resources needed to have a stronger presence and play a more meaningful role in the national health reform debate.
NJ Consumer Voices for Coverage Leadership Team:
- AARP New Jersey
- CWA New Jersey
- Health Professionals and Allied Employees
- Hispanic Directors Association of New Jersey
- New Jersey Appleseed
- New Jersey Catholic Conference
- New Jersey Citizen Action
- New Jersey Health Care Quality Institute
- New Jersey Public Interest Reesarch Group
- New Jersey Policy Perspective
- New Jersey State Conference — NAACP
- PICO New Jersey / Camden Churches Organized for People
- Women's Fund of New Jersey
NJ Citizen Action Education Fund is the lead grantee organization for New Jersey. Through this project, NJ Citizen Action Education Fund and the NJ Consumer Voices for Coverage Leadership Team are working to expand and strengthen access to health care for all New Jerseyans and making sure that consumers have a voice in the health care debates taking place at both the state and national level. Additional information on Consumer Voices for Coverage can be found at www.voicesforcoverage.org.
The NJ Consumer Voices for Coverage Project was launched on February 28, 2008. Press Release: Health Care Reform Advocacy in New Jersey Set to Receive a Boost.
Consumer Voices for Coverage Grantee States: California, Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Washington.
Affordability Project: How Much Can YOU Afford to Spend on Health Care?
NJ Consumer Voices for Coverage is working to make health care more affordable for NJ families.
Through the Affordability Project NJCVC collected affordability surveys and health care stories from over 600 families across the State.NJCVC is working with Professors at the Ramapo College School of Social Work to analyze the data.
We will present these findings to our policymakers in Trenton and Washington, demonstrating how much is truly affordable for NJ families.
News Coverage: "Make Care Available To Those In Need" (Courier Post — July 5, 2009)
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health Care Consumer Confidence Index
According to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health Care Consumer Confidence Index (RWJF Index):
- An overwhelming majority of Americans view health reform as key to reviving the economy. More than four in five Americans (81.4%) believe it is important that President Obama includes health reform in plans to address the economy.
- People believe that health reform will improve their finances. More than three-fourths of Americans (76.1%) report that they believe health reform will improve their personal finances. Additionally 62.2 percent believe that health reform will improve the country's finances.
- People are worried about being able to afford future care. More than half of all Americans (53.2%) are worried that they will not be able to pay for their future health care needs in the event of a serious illness. Additionally, nearly half (48.2%) are worried that they will not be able to afford all of the routine health care services they need.
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health Care Consumer Confidence Index is released the third Tuesday of every month. More information about the survey and the latest results are available at www.rwjf.org/confidence.
- Press Release.
- Press Coverage: "Health Insurance Worries Keep Rising" (The New York Times — October 20, 2009).
Health Reform: The Cost of Failure
On May 21, 2009, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), along with New Jersey Citizen Action and the NJ Citizen Action Education Fund released a report, "Health Reform: The Cost of Failure."
It projects that if federal health care reform efforts are not enacted soon, within 10 years the cost of health care for businesses could double and the number of uninsured Americans could reach 66 million — with middle-income families hardest hit. The report was conducted by researchers from the Urban Institute in Washington, D.C.
About Community Catalyst
Community Catalyst is a national non-profit advocacy organization dedicated to quality affordable health care for all. Since 1997, Community Catalyst has been working to build the consumer and community leadership required to transform the American health system.
With the belief that this transformation will happen when consumers are fully engaged and have an organized voice, Community Catalyst works in partnership with national, state and local consumer organizations, policymakers, and foundations, providing leadership and support to change the health care system so it serves everyone — especially vulnerable members of society. For more information, visit www.communitycatalyst.org.
About the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation focuses on the pressing health and health care issues facing our country. As the nation's largest philanthropy devoted exclusively to improving the health and health care of all Americans, the Foundation works with a diverse group of organizations and individuals to identify solutions and achieve comprehensive, meaningful and timely change.
For more than 35 years, the Foundation has brought experience, commitment, and a rigorous, balanced approach to the problems that affect the health and health care of those it serves. By helping Americans lead healthier lives and get the care they need, the Foundation expects to make a difference in your lifetime.