October 9, 2004

ALERT
IMMEDIATE ACTION NEEDED

LIEN LAW MOVES FORWARD (again)

In another victory for advocates S 880, the Lien Law, unanimously passed the Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Services Committee on Monday, November 8th. This law would reform the discriminatory practice of placing automatic liens for the full cost of care on individuals hospitalized at state and county psychiatric hospitals in New Jersey. In its place individuals would be charged based on their ability to pay using the Charity Care sliding fee scale.

IMMEDIATE ACTION NEEDED

There are several hurdles that must be crossed before this bill can become law. The Assembly version of the Lien Law, A779, now goes to the Appropriations Committee where there is only one meeting scheduled until January. Advocates, in numbers, must contact the committee chairperson and implore her to schedule A779 for a hearing as soon as possible.

CONTACT THE APPROPRITIONS COMMITTEE CHAIR: Assemblywoman Bonnie Watson Coleman, 226 W. State St., Trenton, NJ 08608, (609)-292-0500, http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/members/watson.asp

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SAMPLE LETTER (Feel free to personalize the letter as you see fit)

Dear

I am writing to request that you post A779 for a hearing as soon as possible so that we may end the discriminatory practice of placing automatic liens for the full cost of care on individuals who are hospitalized at state and county psychiatric hospitals. New Jersey has developed the uncompensated care fund or charity care to treat those with any other illness who are uninsured or unable to afford care. It is only for the treatment of a mental illness at a state or county psychiatric hospital that patients, their parents under age 55 and their spouses whether living together or apart remain liable for the full cost of these hospitalizations. Thousands of people are impacted each year by this anachronistic 1918 law that is left over from an era when we warehoused our unwanted in massive institutions.

Having a mental illness in the family comes with many burdens for the individual with the illness and for family caretakers. New Jersey should have an official state policy to support those who are struggling every day to overcome these debilitating illnesses not one that adds additional burdens. A779 has gained widespread support because ending these inequities is the right thing to do and the right time to do it is now. In your role as committee chair you have the ability to end the injustices caused by this law by schedule this legislation for a hearing as soon as possible. I am asking for your support in repealing the law once and for all so that we may treat a mental illness the same as any other illness.

Thank you for your attention and support.

Sincerely,