The Governor’s Commission on Rationalizing Health Care Resources will hold three public hearings this summer on the acute-care hospital system in New Jersey and other related issues that the public would like to present to the panel, Health and Senior Services Commissioner Fred M. Jacobs, M.D., J.D., announced today.

The public hearings will be held as follows:

·         Trenton -- Monday, July 30, from 6 to 8 p.m. at Prudence Hall, Kelsey Building, Thomas Edison State College, 101 W. State Street, Trenton.

·         Teaneck -- Tuesday, August 14, from 6 to 8 p.m. in the East Ballroom, Teaneck Marriott at Glenpointe, 100 Frank W. Burr Boulevard, Teaneck.

·         Vineland -- Tuesday, August 28, from 6 to 8 p.m. in the George P. Luciano Family Center for Public Services and Leadership, Cumberland County College, 3322 College Drive, Vineland.

Governor Jon S. Corzine has asked the Commission to examine the hospital system in New Jersey and advise him on the best ways to improve that system.  The Commission is chaired by Uwe Reinhardt, Ph.D., the James Madison Professor of Political Economy, and Professor of Economics and Public Affairs at Princeton University’s Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs.

The panel’s interim report, released in June, analyzes the financial condition of hospitals in New Jersey and outlines a method for determining which hospitals are essential to maintaining health care access in their communities.  The report is available at:  http://nj.gov/health/rhc/index.shtml.  The Commission’s final report is expected by December 1.

At the three hearings, the Commission will accept both oral and written comments.  Each speaker will be limited to three minutes, but may also submit lengthier written comments at the same time.  Comments may also be submitted via the Commission’s website at http://www.nj.gov/health/rhc/contact.shtml.

Written and electronic comments, questions and testimony submitted to the Commission by the public, as well as transcripts, if any, of oral testimony, are government records and will be available to the public upon request.

If members of the public have questions about testifying or submitting comments, please call Maria Medina, secretary to the Commission’s Executive Director, at (609) 633-3689.

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