NEW JERSEY’S LARGEST NURSES, HEALTH CARE WORKERS ASSOCIATION ENDORSES SENATOR MENENDEZ AS MAJOR WOMEN’S HEALTH REFORMS GO INTO EFFECT

HPAE: The nurses and staff taking care of you support Bob Menendez

NEW BRUNSWICK – As the Affordable Care Act’s major reforms for women’s health care are going into effect for more than 1.4 million New Jersey women, the state’s chapter of the Health Professionals and Allied Employees’ (HPAE) today announced its endorsement of U. S. Senator Bob Menendez for re-election. Since 1977, the HPAE, the health care division of the American Federation of Teachers, has grown to become New Jersey’s largest union that represents nurses and health care workers. Many of its 12,000 members reside in Monmouth and Burlington counties.

“Senator Bob Menendez is a champion for women and children’s health issues in the United States Senate, and today more than 1.4 million women are benefitting from his efforts,” said HPAE President Ann Twomey. “As a key negotiator for health care reform on the Senate Finance Committee, Senator Menendez helped pushed for common sense reforms against insurance companies that denied people access to health care because of pre-existing conditions. He also secured $100 million in federal investments to protect health coverage for thousands of children in our state, and secured more than $66 million for our state’s Federally Qualified Health Centers to increase access to preventive and primary care.

When you consider that Senator Menendez’s opponent voted six times during the last three years against funding for women’s health care and family planning services, the choice for the HPAE’s members could not be clearer. We want New Jersey families to know, the nurses and staff taking care of you and your loved ones in the hospital or nursing home support Bob Menendez. He fights to keep quality health care for all New Jersey residents,” Twomey said. “The HPAE of New Jersey is proud to endorse Senator Menendez for re-election. We look forward to Senator Menendez continue to fight for the health and well-being of all New Jerseyans.”

"I am proud to accept the endorsement of HPAE, which represents thousands of health professionals who are on the front lines of keeping New Jersey healthy,” said Menendez. “They have my commitment to continue to fight for increased investment in our state’s health centers and hospitals, in order to help them provide families and children access to quality health care. As the son of immigrants and someone raised in a tenement in Union City, I understand the struggles that hard-working middle class families face day-to-day. I will never forget the humble roots I came from or the working families who have given me the honor to represent them.”

The Affordable Care Act’s provisions that go into effect today require that new and renewed insurance policies cover more preventative health care services for women. A list of those services can be found here:
http://www.healthcare.gov/news/factsheets/2011/08/womensprevention08012011a.html