Welcome
New Jersey Citizen Action Education Fund (NJCAEF) is a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) organization, founded in 1983, promoting the empowerment of low- and middle-income people through research, education and training around public policy issues and direct counseling and services. We work with the state's largest citizen watchdog coalition, New Jersey Citizen Action.
From Our Mission Statement
NJCAEF's goals are to promote economic and social justice, to empower and organize the unorganized, to build a strong progressive coalition working on issues of common concern, strengthening our base both collectively as a coalition and as individual organizations.
Our education focuses on community, senior, consumer, labor and other constituencies that would be affected by pocketbook issues like changes in the tax code, health care reform, environmental hazards, and utility rates. We have comprehensive outreach and training programs to assist families in dealing with insurers, banks, health providers, utilities, and telecommunications service providers. Read our complete Mission Statement.
Free Tax Preparation / Preparacion De Taxes Gratis
| 1-888-TAXES-11 Or Text the word "TAXES" to 89074 |
1-888-TAXES-11 Ó Texto La Parbla 'TAXES' to 89074 |
| Click here for full details | Información en Español |
New Report Shows How Much New Jersey Families Can Afford to Spend on Health Care
A new report by the NJ Consumer Voices for Coverage Leadership Team shows how much money New Jersey families can afford to spend on health care. New Jersey Consumer Voices for Coverage launched Making Health Care Affordable for New Jersey: Real Families, Real Stories to educate New Jersey residents, through community-based organizations, about the health reform debate going on around them, and to take a practical look at what families can, or cannot, afford to pay for their health care.
The aim of this project is to aid policymakers in understanding how much real families living in New Jersey can afford to spend on health care, based on real stories and household budgets of people living across the State. The stories and data presented in this report come from 648 families who attended over 40 community-based workshops throughout New Jersey. Their stories present numerous policy implications on the need to develop a reasonable standard of affordability for New Jersey families if health reform is going to succeed in reducing the number of New Jersey's uninsured.
Key Findings
- A majority of families cannot make ends meet and are operating in the red. 52.9% of respondents reported monthly expenses outpacing monthly income resulting in a negative cash flow by month's end.
- Families are delaying needed health care because of high costs. 46.4% of respondents report forgoing needed medical care due to cost or lack of insurance in the past year.
- Health care costs cause financial hardship for families. 13% of families reported having medical debt, the result of unpaid health care bills.
- Uninsured families report delaying care at high rates. 77.0% of families without health insurance report delaying needed care due to cost or lack of insurance in the last year.
- Many with health insurance also cannot afford needed care. 32.1% of insured respondents report delaying needed care due to cost in the past year.
- Those with chronic health conditions are more likely to delay care. 54.0% of those with chronic health conditions report delaying needed care due to cost or lack of insurance compared with 46.4% of total respondents.
Policy Recommendations
- Develop and implement a sliding scale affordability measure based on income to ensure that New Jersey families are not required to pay more for health care than they can afford.
- The affordability scale should provide full subsidies to cover the entire cost of health care for families up to 200% FPL and sliding scale subsides for families at least up to 399% FPL.
- New Jersey must collect more data to determine how much families above 400% FPL can afford to spend on health care.
Resources
- Full Report.
- Press Release.
- One-Page Report Summary.
- News Coverage: "Advocates: Health Care Will Still Elude Many In N.J." (Star-Ledger — December 2, 2009), "Report: New Jersey Families Struggling With Health Care Costs" (New Jersey Newsroom — December 2, 2009), "New Report Shows Health Care Affordability For NJ Families" (NewsBlaze — December 2, 2009), "Survey Claims New Jersey Health Care Costs Prevent Treatment For Many" (Press of Atlantic City — December 1, 2009), "New Report Shows Health Care Costs Cause Financial Hardship For NJ Families" (Radio News Source — December 1, 2009 — AUDIO NEWS).
New Report: The Right Rx for NJ — National Health Care Reform
On October 8, 2009 members of the NJ For Health Care Coalition released a new report by NJ Policy Perspective that shows the impact of the health care bill currently in the US House of Representatives on New Jersey's public health and economy.
The report analyzes the major provisions in "America's Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009" (HR 3200) and describes how the bill will benefit New Jersey residents including low and middle income families, small businesses, children, adults, seniors, people with disabilities, and the uninsured. It is the first and only comprehensive analysis examining the impact of HR 3200 on New Jerseyans to date. New Jersey Policy Perspective has also broken down the information by county and Congressional District.
- Read Key Findings from the Report.
- Read the full Report: "The Right Rx for NJ: National Health Care Reform."
- Congressional District and County Breakout Data.
- Press Conference Speakers.
- Statement of Ray Castro, NJ Policy Perspective.
- Statement of Eve Weissman, NJ Citizen Action Education Fund.
- Statement of Kelly Conklin, NJ Main Street Alliance.
- Statement of Reverend Bruce Davidson, Lutheran Office of Governmental Ministry of NJ.
- Press Release.
- Press Coverage: News Coverage: "Advocates: Health Care Will Still Elude Many In N.J." (Star-Ledger — December 2, 2009), "Report 'Prescribes' Public Option To State" (Daily Targum — October 12, 2009), "N.J.'s Public Health, Economy 'Threatened' Without Universal Care, Report Says" (Star-Ledger – October 8, 2009) and "Report: Health Care Reform Bill Would Benefit N.J." (New Jersey Newsroom – October 8, 2009).
Photos from the "The Right Rx for NJ" Press Conference |
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| Ray Castro, Senior Policy Analyst at NJ Policy Perspective and author of the report explains the findings | Reverend Bruce Davidson, Director of the Lutheran Office of Governmental Ministry of NJ | Kelly Conklin, Small Business Owner in Bloomfield, NJ and Spokesperson for the NJ Main Street Alliance discusses the need to reform health care from a small business perspective |
Out-Of-Pocket Health Care Costs Could Increase by More than 35 Percent in Every State by 2019
A new report commissioned by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) projects that if national health care reform is not enacted, the cost of failure will be substantial. In every state, the number of uninsured will increase, employer-sponsored insurance coverage will continue to erode, spending on public programs will balloon and out-of-pocket health care costs for individuals and families could increase by more than 35 percent over the next decade. While people at all income levels will be affected, middle-class working families would be hardest hit.
The report shows that within 10 years:
- As many as 1.9 million New Jersey residents could be uninsured - up from 1.4 million this year.
- The average New Jersey resident would see his/her health care spending rise by as much as 67.8%.
- New Jersey employers would see premiums continue to skyrocket - increasing up to 101.6%.
- New Jersey government would see Medicaid/CHIP spending rise by as much as 105.7%.
- The amount of uncompensated care in New Jersey would increase by as much as 138.6%.
Resources:
- Press Release.
- Complete Report.
- Press Coverage: "Report Says Failure To Reform Health Care Will Be Costly" (Patriot — October 1, 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. Read the Press Release, Statement, and full report.
Loan Counseling Service and NJ Judiciary Foreclosure Mediation Program
You may be able to participate in the NJ Judiciary Foreclosure Mediation Program. Click here for more information, including full eligibility requirements.
Our Loan Counseling Service Application is now linked to the NJCA Website, and can be completed and submitted entirely online.
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Report "At the Brink: Trends in America's Uninsured 1994–2007"
With Congress and the Obama administration discussing how to reform the nation's health care system, this new report looks at what has happened since the last significant reform effort ended in 1994 without any comprehensive congressional action. At the Brink: Trends in America's Uninsured 1994-2007 chronicles state-by-state health coverage trends. The report finds that over the last 15 years, nearly every state has seen increased numbers of uninsured residents, greater costs for workers while their incomes are flat, and significant erosion of private coverage.
- Read NJ Citizen Action Education Fund's Public Statement, distributed on Wednesday, March 25, 2009
- Read At the Brink: Trends in America's Uninsured 1994-2007 (PDF of full report)
Our Economic Security Center Can Help You — And It's Free
Are You Struggling to:
- Buy Groceries for your Family
- Pay your Gas, Electric and/or Oil Bill
- Find Affordable Health Care for Your Kids
- Pay High Cost Tax Preparation Fees
Our Economic Security Center provides free, confidential benefits counseling to help individuals and families get information on public programs for which they qualify. These include food stamps, health insurance, heating and utility bill assistance and more. We also provide free tax preparation to help individuals and families file their forms and claim tax refunds from the federal and state government.
Our goal is to increase your economic security by helping you understand how to get public benefits, tax credits and other essential services to which you are entitled. These programs provide a cushion against everyday setbacks — a sick child, car trouble, temporary job loss — that can become catastrophes in your life.
Call Us Today: 1-888-829-3711
744 Broad Street, Suite 2080
Newark, New Jersey 07102
Map and Directions
HOURS: Monday through Friday, from 8am–4pm
Download and distribute the flyer — Thank you!
The Citizen Action Economic Security Center is an Empowerment Project of New Jersey Citizen Action and the New Jersey Citizen Action Education Fund and is supported by the Sovereign Endowment at the Independence Community Foundation and Single Stop USA.
From NJCA Education Fund Executive Director Phyllis Salowe-Kaye
2007 saw many great accomplishments for the New Jersey Citizen Action Education Fund (NJCAEF). We educated our members, the public, the media, and policy makers about vital progressive issues such as Universal healthcare, a safe end to the war in Iraq, fair and clean elections, and paid family leave insurance.
We worked hard to lower utility rates in the state and saved ratepayers up to $2.3 billion a year by preventing the costly merger between PSE&G and Chicago-based Exelon Corporation which would have created a giant utility monopoly capable of easily manipulating energy supplies and polices. At the same time, the New Jersey Citizen Action Oil Group continued to provide lower cost home heating oil, saving members an average of $200 – $400.
We also provided direct service to thousands of low- and moderate-income individuals, families, and seniors in the form of financial education, homeownership preparation and foreclosure prevention, and lead poisoning abatement.