Rep. Sires should get on board with Medicare for All

Healthcare costs are out of control, while private insurance companies are making record profits. We need Medicare for All, and we need it now. That’s why the North Jersey chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America participated in a nationwide ‘Week of Action’ from Jan. 13-20 to campaign for Medicare for All.

By covering everyone through a single-payer system, Medicare for All is estimated to save more than a trillion dollars a year by controlling drug prices and cutting administrative overhead. This plan will mean no more copays, premiums, deductibles or unexpected healthcare costs. You will be able to continue to see your favorite doctor because there will be no complicated insurance networks to navigate. You will be able to get the healthcare—or vision care, or dental care—you need without worrying about costs.

Here in New Jersey’s 8th Congressional District, despite being a member of the Medicare for All Caucus and expressing past support for the concept, Rep. Albio Sires has failed to sign onto the current Medicare for All bill in the House (H.R.1384).

In our recent conversations with his constituents throughout the district, we heard from numerous people who have trouble getting the healthcare they need. Rep. Sires should stand with the many New Jerseyans who have been mistreated by private insurance companies, and we’re going to win his support by talking to one neighbor at a time in events throughout North Jersey.

Zander Berg, Jersey City

Be a volunteer at a nursing home to help elderly

Every day across the country and in our own community, vulnerable elderly people are being abused, neglected and financially exploited in nursing homes.

While the care and treatment of elderly individuals in long-term care facilities in New Jersey is strictly regulated and can be very good, no facility is exempt from the potential for incidents of maltreatment.

But there is something that the average citizen can do to help. I urge anyone who is concerned about elder abuse and exploitation to call my office at (609) 826-5053 to learn how to become a Volunteer Advocate at a local nursing home.

As a Volunteer Advocate, you offer a familiar presence to nursing home residents, someone who will listen to them and respond to their concerns. After you receive 32 hours of training, you are asked to spend four hours a week (you make your own schedule) at a local nursing home, interacting with residents and advocating on their behalf.

We are currently seeking applicants for March 2020 training sessions. In Hudson County, our goal is to place advocates in facilities in North Bergen, Kearny, Guttenberg, Union City, Jersey City and Secaucus.

If you are interested in having a direct impact on the lives of elderly citizens in nursing homes, please consider becoming a Volunteer Advocate.

Laurie Facciarossa Brewer, NJ Long-Term Care Ombudsman, Trenton

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