Gov. Murphy Signs New Medical Debt Protections into Law

Governor Phil Murphy has signed the Louisa Carman Medical Debt Relief Act into law. This landmark law will protect 1.5 million New Jerseyans struggling with medical debt from its worst effects. No one’s credit should be ruined because they get sick or injured.

These protections are critical for New Jersey residents struggling with medical debt, 22% of whom are in collections. 33% of New Jersey residents with medical debt who are in collections are part of communities of color, compared with 16% of residents in collections in white communities. Many burdened with medical debt struggle to afford cars, homes, and other necessities, and can be in danger of having their wages garnished.

The Act protects New Jerseyans from many of the financial harms associated with medical debt by:

• Banning most medical debt from being reported to credit reporting agencies 
• Imposing a 3% cap on the interest rate on all medical debt. 
• Creating public notification requirements and parameters for provider payment plans. 
• Prohibiting wages from being garnished for medical debt for patients below 600% of the Federal Poverty Level. 

...and more.

To read more about this legislation, click here.

Summit attendee Maiya Warren asks a question during one of the sessions.

Review of the 10th Annual RAISE Summit:

Nothing About Us Without Us

The event took place in St. Louis, Missouri on July 25th, 2024. The theme for this year’s gathering was Nothing About Us Without Us! 

There were about 40 in-person and 60 virtual participants, between RSA Parent Centers representatives, Parent Centers staff, self-advocates and the general public.

Participants learned from MPACT on strategies to improve leadership development, networking and team building. In another session, participants explored the intersection between Parent Centers and Vocational Rehabilitation Services. In the LifeCourse in Health Care Transition session, participants learned about the innovative LifeCourse approach to health, emphasizing the importance of healthy living across various life domains and the critical transition to adult healthcare. Later on, the RSA Parent Centers presented their innovative resources aimed at supporting families and youth in transition. The last session of the day was presented by YEN (Youth Engagement Now) where youth leaders from across the U.S. joined forces to develop a set of tools for individuals or organizations to effectively engage youth and young adults with disabilities.

Overall, it was a highly productive time for leadership development, networking and team building.

To learn more about the work of the RAISE Center, visit their website here.

Maria Docherty, SPAN's Long Serving Individual Assistance Program Director, Retires

After serving more than 20 years with SPAN, Individual Assistance Program Director, Maria Docherty retired effective Friday, August 2.

Maria supervised the individual assistance staff that answers calls coming into our Warm Line or otherwise field the requests for individual assistance coming into SPAN. She also served on our Navigating Excellence Parent Center Assistance & Collaboration (NE-PACT), Region A Team as the Individual Assistance, TA/Coach.

SPAN thanks Maria for her many years of dedication to serving families and caregivers, and the indelible impact her work has had on their lives! We wish her well in her retirement.