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Chai Lifeline Lakewood: Letters and calls to the Governor’s office are critical to ensure that he takes action on behalf of children in our community. Please contact Governor Murphy’s office at 609-292-6000, via the contact form on his office’s website: https://www.nj.gov/governor/contact/all/, or via mail: Po Box 001, Trenton, NJ 08625, and urge him to ensure that all children, regardless of income, have access to the best medical care. The more people reach out to him, the greater the impact we will have.

Following are some talking points provided by Chai Lifeline that can guide you with both your letter writing and phone calls:

• Hello my names is (insert name) and I’m a resident of New Jersey and live (insert County and zip). I’m calling today to express my concern with the United Community Health Care Plan’s move to terminate their contract with the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

• The termination risks the well-being of thousands of New Jersey children who rely on specialized or coordinated care found only at CHOP or a very small number of pediatric health systems.

• Families with children with complex medical needs face enormous challenges and have no choice but to see multiple physicians, specialists, and sub-specialists. Allowing barriers to this care is unconscionable. (Optional: insert more information about your child and family.)

• On December 1, families (optional: like mine) that have been seeing CHOP doctors for years could now see a disruption in their care due to United’s termination, and we need your help.

• Currently, there is no requirement in New Jersey that ensures Medicaid families (optional: like mine) have the right access to the pediatric care they need, but Assembly Bill 4688 sponsored by Assemblyman Benson and its companion, Senate Bill 3000 sponsored by Senator Weinberg would change this. These bills will require all New Jersey Medicaid Plans to have robust pediatric network adequacy requirements, an approach that will get kids the care they need but not place any insurer at a disadvantage in the market.

• I ask that you do everything you can to see that this legislation become law. Thank you for your time!

Additionally, you can request the following: “We ask that the Governor declare that, for the duration of the public health emergency and four months following its declared end, no child’s health care team be disrupted. We’re concerned for families that have been impacted by United Community Healthcare decision to terminate their contract with the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Please take action to protect families and ensure they have access to care during these difficult times.”