On behalf of our 20,000 members, the New Jersey Business & Industry Association (NJBIA) thanks the sponsors for recognizing the impact of modern technology on the provision of healthcare services. Assembly Bill 1464 establishes a framework for the responsible use of telehealth and telemedicine services as an efficient way to treat residents of New Jersey.
The Association places a strong and consistent focus on the quality and affordability of health insurance in New Jersey. The cost of providing health coverage to employees is one of the most significant challenges facing employers today. It is consistently ranked the number one problem facing our members in our annual NJBIA Business Outlook Survey.
NJBIA supports telemedicine services because they can help reduce healthcare costs.
In 2016, the cost of health insurance premiums reached $7,151 for single HMO coverage and $18,754 for family coverage in the Northeast, according to the Kaiser/HRET Survey of Employer-Sponsored Health Benefits. The national average for all plans is $6,435 for single coverage and $18,142 for family coverage.
For these reasons, we respectfully ask that you vote “YES” on A-1464. Thank you for your consideration of our comments.
