November 29, 2004

LIEN LAW SCHEDULED FOR HEARING

The Assembly Appropriations Committee will hear A779, the lien law, on Thursday, December 2 at 2PM. This law would end the discriminatory practice of placing liens for the full cost of care on patients who are hospitalized at state and county psychiatric hospitals and certain members of their family.

Thanks to the many calls and letters from NAMI NEW JERSEY advocates, Committee Chair, Assemblywoman Bonnie Watson Coleman has prioritized A779 for action in the committee’s only scheduled meeting for the remainder of the year.

IMMEDIATE ACTION NEEDED

Advocates should immediately contact the members of the Assembly Appropriations committee and ask them to support A779, especially if you are a resident of their district (see the list below).

TALKING POINTS

We must end state sponsored discrimination towards person with a mental illness

End the practice of placing automatic liens.

Charge patients on their ability to pay using the Charity Care sliding fee scale, the same as any other illness.

Exempt the parents of adult children from any financial obligation.

Protect the assets the spouse of an individual hospitalized in a public psychiatric hospital.

Provide a provision for retroactively removing past liens.

If you would like to testify before the committee or attend and show your support ( it helps), the hearing will be held in Committee Room 11, 4th Floor, State House Annex, Trenton.

Directions: http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/legislativepub/directions.asp

CONTACT INFORMATION

Telephone numbers for the Appropriations Committee members are listed below. For more complete contact and district information go to http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/committees/assembly.asp

Bonnie Watson Coleman - Chair (609) 292-0500, Nellie Pou - Vice-Chair(973) 247-1555, John Burzichelli (856) 251-9801, Herb Conaway (856) 461-3997, Steve Corodemus (732) 708-0900, Joseph Cryan (908) 624-0880, Robert Gordon (201) 703-9779, Louis Greenwald (856) 783-0444, Mims Hackett (973) 762-1886, Richard Merkt (973) 895-9100, Connie Myers (908) 995-0066, Joseph Pennacchio (973) 984-0922, John Wisniewski (732) 316-1885