Republican New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie revealed cuts to charity care funding in his budget address last week totaling $50 million, according to NJ Biz.
Gov. Christie said the proposed cuts align with the state's decision to expand Medicaid under the ACA, as safety-net hospitals have seen a decrease in uninsured patients.
Including the proposed $50 million cut, the state's charity care funding will total $250 million, a decrease of roughly $400 million since 2013, according to the report.
President and CEO of the New Jersey Hospital Association Betsy Ryan told NJ Biz "hospitals sustained a $200 million cut to charity care last year, and each time we cut charity care, the state of New Jersey loses federal matching dollars. We need to keep this vital safety net program — and those federal dollars — intact as we wait to see what Congress and President (Donald) Trump have planned for the future of health insurance coverage."
In his budget, Gov. Christie proposed requiring nonprofit Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey to establish a fund with money from its surplus to help pay for charity care, according to the Press of Atlantic City. In addition, he called on the New Jersey legislature to pursue out-of-network billing reform.