Bill Text: NJ SCR33 | 2010-2011 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Memorializes President and Congress to provide residents of U.S. Territories same opportunity to participate in health insurance exchanges as residents of the states.

Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Republican 3-1)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2010-01-12 - Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee [SCR33 Detail]

Download: New_Jersey-2010-SCR33-Introduced.html

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SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION No. 33

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

214th LEGISLATURE

 

PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2010 SESSION

 

 

Sponsored by:

Senator  ROBERT W. SINGER

District 30 (Burlington, Mercer, Monmouth and Ocean)

Senator  THOMAS H. KEAN, JR.

District 21 (Essex, Morris, Somerset and Union)

 

Co-Sponsored by:

Senators A.R.Bucco and Scutari

 

 

 

 

SYNOPSIS

     Memorializes President and Congress to provide residents of U.S. Territories same opportunity to participate in health insurance exchanges as residents of the states.

 

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

     Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel

  

A Concurrent Resolution memorializing the President and Congress of the United States to permit residents of the United States territories to participate in health insurance exchanges.

 

Whereas, Both the United States Senate and House of Representatives are considering health care reform legislation that will make health care coverage more affordable and accessible to all citizens of the United States; and

Whereas, The proposed legislation pending in the Senate differs somewhat in scope from that of the House of Representatives, but the legislation in both the Senate and House of Representative includes provisions to establish one or more health insurance exchanges to facilitate the offering and purchase of health insurance coverage; and

Whereas, While it is clear that residents in the 50 states will have the opportunity to participate in health insurance exchanges, it is not clear or certain that such participation will be afforded to the residents of the United States Territories, such as Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Northern Mariana Islands; and

Whereas, The residents of the Territories are United States citizens, but unless they are explicitly given the same opportunity to participate in health insurance exchanges as provided to the residents of the 50 states, they will be subject to discriminatory treatment under the pending federal health care reform and their opportunities to obtain health care coverage will be unnecessarily limited; now, therefore,

 

     Be It Resolved by the Senate of the State of New Jersey (the General Assembly concurring):

 

     1. The President and Congress of the United States are respectfully memorialized to ensure that residents of the United States Territories are afforded the same opportunity to participate in any health insurance exchanges established as part of national health care reform as are residents of the 50 states.

 

     2.  Duly authenticated copies of this resolution, signed by the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the General Assembly and attested by the Secretary of the Senate and the Clerk of the General Assembly, shall be transmitted to the President and Vice-President of the United States, the Majority and Minority Leaders of the United States Senate, the Speaker and Minority Leader of the United States House of Representatives, and every member of Congress elected from this State.

STATEMENT

 

     This concurrent resolution memorializes the President and Congress to ensure that residents of the United States Territories are afforded the same opportunity to participate in any health insurance exchanges established as part of national health care reform as are residents of the 50 states.

     Residents of the United States Territories, such as Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Northern Mariana Islands, are United States citizens, but unless they are given the same opportunity to participate in health insurance exchanges, they will be subject to discriminatory treatment under the pending federal health care reform and their opportunities to obtain health care coverage will be unnecessarily limited.