Lawmakers Frustrated Nemours Children’s Health Dropping NJ Medicaid

Capitol Comments

Senator Robert W. Singer 30th Legislative District

TRENTON ˗ Senator Robert Singer and Assemblymen Sean Kean and Edward Thomson (all R-30th) expressed their frustration after Nemours Children’s Health announced it will no longer accept most new patients enrolled in New Jersey’s Medicaid managed care insurance program.

“It is deeply frustrating that Nemours has

Capitol Comments

not made a commitment to remain in New Jersey’s Medicaid network even after securing $20 million in additional funding for the fiscal year,” said Sen. Singer. “Parents of children with special medical needs rely on the services provided at Nemours Children’s Hospitals to treat complex conditions. For parents to fi nd out that their children will be phased out of this necessary care and forced to fi nd a new team of doctors is disturbing.”

Nemours Children’s Health is an in-network provider for families insured under

NJ FamilyCare, but the group announced they will stop accepting most new kids on Medicaid from New Jersey - a decision that will impact 11,000 children from South Jersey. Nemours will also decline a $10 million state grant that lawmakers had hoped would convince the pediatric hospital to stay in-network.

“The Legislature worked hard to secure funding for Nemours Children’s Health because we didn’t want to see thousands of children phased out of care,” said Asm. Kean. “We recognize the uncertainty that parents are feeling right now about the future of their children’s healthcare. The lack of commitment from Nemours to continue providing care to children with special medical needs is upsetting.”

Senator Singer and Assemblymen Kean and Thomson echoed the sentiment of colleague Assemblyman Herb Conway Jr. and said that the Legislature allocated this money to Nemours Children’s Health so that they could remain in-network and avoid this issue all together.

“Thousands of families depend on Nemours to provide life-sustaining treatments for their children,” said Asm. Thomson. “They will be doing a major disservice to these families by phasing out their care. We cannot let children who are in desperate need of medical attention be forgotten.”

Bill Would Target Fentanyl Tra ckers

anced approach is essential.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) joined with the Atlantic County officials and families impacted by the opioid epidemic and fentanyl crisis to highlight legislation he co-sponsored, the FEND Off Fentanyl Act, that passed the Senate on July 27th as part the bipartisan Fiscal Year 2024 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).

The FEND Off Fentanyl Act is a sanctions and anti-money laundering bill to help combat the country’s fentanyl crisis by targeting opioid traffickers devastating America’s communities. The bill will enhance current law so U.S. government agencies can more effectively disrupt illicit opioid supply chains and penalize those facilitating the trafficking of fentanyl. The bill also ensures that sanctions are imposed not only on the illicit drug trade, but also on the money laundering that makes it possible.

“As we continue to raise awareness about the devastating impacts the fentanyl crisis has on Americans across the country – particularly our young people and their loved ones – we strive to crack down on fentanyl with the FEND Off Fentanyl Act,” said Sen. Menendez. “This landmark legislation is an urgently needed bipartisan initiative to strengthen current efforts to disrupt the trafficking of fentanyl into the United States. By targeting fentanyl and its revenue streams, we both protect our national security, and provide our law enforcement with the tools they need to address this issue head-on.”

“In the face of the immense threat posed by fentanyl, with potency surpassing morphine by 100 times and heroin by 50 times, a bal-

Our Atlantic County Sheriff ’s Office plays a crucial role in preventing illicit distribution, safeguarding communities, and supporting access to treatment programs through harm reduction strategies,” said Atlantic County Sherrif Sheriff Eric Scheffler. “Thanks to the bipartisan bill, cosponsored by Senator Menendez, law enforcement is empowered to identify, disrupt, and dismantle fentanyl production at its source, making a significant impact in combatting fentanyl harm and providing necessary support for those affected.”

Two mothers spoke during the press conference – Sally Onesty, who lost her 22-year-old son Tyler to fentanyl, and Patrice Lenowitz, who lost her 25-year-old son Max to fentanyl. Both shored their heartbreaking testimonies of what this deadly drug has done to their sons, families, and their own lives.

“We have reached the critical stage in which it’s not an “if” Fentanyl will claim the life of someone you love, it’s “WHEN,” said Patrice Lenowitz, who lost her 25-year-old son, Max, last year to fentanyl. “Today’s Fentanyl criminal masterminds from China and Mexico have added this chemical to counterfeit prescription pills like Adderall, Xanax, Oxycodone, illicit street drugs like cocaine, and even marijuana. Senator Menendez’ leadership through the Fend Off Fentanyl Act is an important step as a deterrent. I couldn’t save my child. But it’s not too late to save yours.”

In New Jersey, fentanyl was involved in nearly 75 percent of drug overdoses in 2019 – a drastic increase from seven years prior when it accounted for four percent, according to the NJ Office of the Attorney General. In 2021, nearly 107,000 Americans died from an overdose, and 65% of overdose deaths were caused by fentanyl. Last year, the Drug

Enforcement Administration seized over 379 million deadly doses of fentanyl - enough to supply a lethal dose to every American. Specifically, to disrupt the flow of illicit opioids into the United States, the FEND Off Fentanyl Act would:

• Declare that the international trafficking of fentanyl is a national emergency.

• Require the President to sanction transnational criminal organizations and drug cartels’ key members engaged in international drug trafficking.

• Enable the President to use proceeds of forfeited, sanctioned property of fentanyl traffickers to further support law enforcement efforts.

• Enhance the ability to enforce sanctions violations thereby making it more likely that people who defy U.S. law will be caught and prosecuted.

• Require the administration to report to Congress on actions the U.S. government is taking to reduce the international trafficking of fentanyl and related opioids.

• Allow the Treasury Department to utilize special measures to combat fentanyl-related money laundering.

• Require the Treasury Department to prioritize fentanyl-related suspicious transactions and include descriptions of drug cartels’ financing actions in Suspicious Activity Reports.

MANCHESTER TIMES • BERKELEY TIMES • BRICK TIMES

JACKSON TIMES • HOWELL TIMES • TOMS RIVER TIMES

SOUTHERN OCEAN TIMES

President & Publisher Stew Swann

News Editor Chris Lundy

Vice President/COO Jason Allentoff

Assistant News Editor Bob Vosseller

Production Manager Allison Gradzki Graphic Artist Adriana Miranda

Distribution Manager Laura Hoban

Sales Manager Lorrie Toscano

Layout Designer Julia Wilkens