The New Jersey Chapter will be posting Legislative information of interest to our members from time to time that affects how we practice. Our chapter sees itself as providing a cohesive voice for many surgical specialties in societal and governmental issues related to the practice of surgery in New Jersey and in the nation, by actively engaging in dialogue with state and national political leaders, in the context of initiatives from the American College of Surgeons’ national office. URGENT ACTION NEEDED Pending Federal & State Legislation IMPORTANT – CALL TO ACTION TO THE NEW JERSEY PHYSICIAN COMMUNITY Make a Call Today to Request the Cosmetic Tax Rollback Legislation Advance to the Governor’s Desk Important legislation that would rollback (over three years) the onerous cosmetic medical procedures tax needs to jump just ONE MORE legislative hurdle before going to the Governor’s desk for action. The full Assembly needs to vote on the measure – A-3646/S-1988 – before they adjourn on January 9. We are working hard to get the bill posted at the January 9 Assembly voting session. Please call the Speaker of the Assembly Sheila Oliver (D-East Orange) at 973-395-1166. Introduce yourself and ask that the Speaker post A-3646/S-1988 at the January 9 voting session. Also call your two members of the Assembly (find them at New Jersey Assembly Members), introduce yourself as a concerned physician in their district,and ask that they encourage Speaker Oliver to post the bill. The bill unanimously passed the Senate in September, and was unanimously released from the Assembly Appropriations Committee on December 1. The Assembly sponsor, Assemblyman Gordon Johnson, concurred during his statement that is about jobs and the economy. "This tax has proven ineffective and an administrative hardship to New Jersey residents and businesses," said Johnson (D-Bergen). "This phase-out will gradually alleviate the financial and administrative burdens associated with the tax. Since it was imposed, the tax has increased overall costs for recipients of cosmetic medical procedures, and imposed an administrative burden on the medical offices billing the procedures and the state agencies charged with the administration and enforcement of the tax. It's time to get rid of it. As we're looking to create jobs and economic development, an ineffective tax like this that very likely is chasing jobs and medical work to other states quite simply needs to go. Under the bill, the 6 percent rate of tax currently imposed on the gross receipts from cosmetic medical procedures is reduced by two percent per year over a three-year period: * On or after July 1, 2011 but before July 1, 2012 the rate of tax imposed will be 4 percent; * On or after July 1, 2012 but before July 1, 2013 the rate of tax imposed will be 2 percent; and * On or after July 1, 2013 the rate of tax will be eliminated. Your response to this important call to action can help put the bill on the agenda and to the Governor’s desk. Andrea Donelan Executive Director Contact Congress TODAY to urge them to stop the 27.4 percent cut to Medicare physician payments scheduled to go into effect on January 1, 2012, and permanently fix this broken system, by logging into the ACS Legislative Action Center at ACS Legislative Action Center We are writing because we need your active involvement today. The American College of Surgeons has been advocating that the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction, known as the "Congressional Super Committee," permanently fix the broken Medicare payment system as part of its larger effort. The Super Committee failed to reach its goal of saving $1.2 trillion and will not be addressing the physician payment issue. Congress is scheduled to be in Washington until mid-December. There is a 27.4 percent cut in Medicare physician payment scheduled for January 1. The grim financial environment in Washington makes the likelihood of a cut to Medicare physician payments greater this year than in recent years. The American College of Surgeons continues to strongly advocate for Congress to stop these cuts and repeal the SGR. However, Congress also needs to hear from the surgeons whose ability to practice and care for patients in their states and districts is being threatened by the failure to enact permanent reform of Medicare’s broken payment system. As a result, it is critical that ALL FELLOWS contact Congress TODAY and tell them to stop the cut. Please follow the instructions below in order to send an email to your Senators and Representative. These emails are critical. If you have any questions, please contact your ACS staff in Washington, DC, at 202-337-2701 or E-mail them:ACS Staff E-mail INSTRUCTIONS Log in to ACS Legislative Action Center with your ACS ID number and password. You will be directed to a pre-drafted email that you can edit and send to your Senators and Representative asking them to stop the 27.4 percent cut to Medicare physician payments before it goes into effect on January 1, 2012. Federal Legislators State Legislators Track your Senator's and Representative's votes by e-mail (Signup) House, Senate & Committees Schedules New Jersey Legislative Action Center Tips On Communicating with Elected Officials Twenty Surgical Groups Say Senate Health Legislation       Will Threaten Patient Access and Harm Quality Read the College's letter to the House of Representatives Legislative and Liability Issues ACS Views on Legislative, Regulatory, and Other Issues