CWA Hosts Legislators and Candidates for Urgent Discussion on New Jersey’s Healthcare Affordability Crisis

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Media Contact: Rodrigo Brandao
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CWA Hosts Legislators and Candidates for Urgent Discussion on New Jersey’s Healthcare Affordability Crisis

Union members share powerful stories of soaring cost and call for immediate legislative action

RIVER EDGE, NJ – October 28 – On Monday, October 27, Communications Workers of America (CWA) District 1 hosted a breakfast forum bringing together endorsed Assembly candidates, incumbents, and public sector workers for a critical dialogue on the state’s escalating healthcare affordability crisis. The event, held amid a high-stakes election season, underscored the urgent need for legislative solutions to curb skyrocketing costs that are crushing public servants and taxpayers alike.

A panel of state legislators and candidates heard directly from CWA members, including state and local government workers who provide essential services to New Jersey, about the real-world impact of rising premiums, deductibles, and out-of-pocket expenses. Members shared harrowing accounts of forgoing promotions, struggling to afford life-saving medications, and having to access Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Medicaid benefits to help feed their families.

“Our members are getting crushed by skyrocketing healthcare costs,” said Anna-Marta Visky, CWA District 1's New Jersey Political and Field Director. “We have electoralized this issue successfully,” continued Visky, “endorsing only candidates who stand with us in our fight to make healthcare affordable for our members, for the state, and for taxpayers alike.”

The discussion highlighted that the crisis extends beyond State employees to local government workers, many of whom are facing premium increases of 37% to 55%. 

The eight attending legislators and candidates were: Assemblymembers Gabriel Rodriguez (LD33), Ellen Park and Shama Haider (LD37), Lisa Swain and Chris Tully (LD38) and Democratic nominees for Assembly Katie Brennan (LD32) and Larry Wainstein (LD33), as well as State Senator & Senate Labor Chair Gordon Johnson (LD38). All of them universally acknowledged the severity of the problem and shared their own personal experiences and struggles with the healthcare system.

A Broken System: Personal Stories from the Front Lines

The human cost of the crisis was laid bare by James Boyle, a state investigator with the Labor Department and third-generation public servant, who revealed that dedicated colleagues are now “actively looking to leave public service and move to the private sector” because they can no longer afford to work for the state. He described a perverse reality where some low-wage local government members rely on SNAP benefits and, upon promotion, face healthcare costs so high they would “rather not be promoted” because it would raise their insurance contributions even higher.

Another member, Cindy Rivera, shared her story of a sudden health decline that required extensive specialist care. “My life depends on my medication,” she stated. Facing increased co-pays and lab fees, she voiced the fear felt by many: “I’m just one of many people who have these genetic diseases or debilitating things that we cannot control. So every copay and every deductible adds up fast and forces people to choose between affording their healthcare and affording other basic necessities.”

Elected officials echoed these concerns with their own experiences. Assemblymember Ellen Park detailed getting a bill for a $7,000 emergency room bill for a dislocated toe, and Assemblymember Shama Haider remembered being prescribed a specialty medication that cost $2,000 per fill.

A Call for Cost Reduction, Not Cost Shifting

CWA leaders framed the solution around a fundamental choice: continue “cost-shifting” onto employees through higher deductibles and co-pays, or pursue genuine “cost reduction” by addressing the root causes of high prices.

“There’s only so many more co-pays you can keep paying,” said Adam Liebtag, President of CWA Local 1036. 

The union advocates for legislation, such as A5903 and its forthcoming Senate counterpart, that would implement systemic reforms, including cost controls and increased price transparency to spur competition and hold carriers and providers accountable.

“The State is not actively managing our health plans,” Liebtag stated, pointing to a lack of state audits and opaque negotiations between carriers and providers. “We need to increase transparency. We need to negotiate harder with insurance carriers and Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) to set prices across the whole system.”

A Pledge for Action and Urgency

The event concluded with a clear call to action: CWA officials urged candidates and incumbents to co-sponsor the relevant healthcare affordability bills and to pressure legislative leadership to prioritize the issue in the upcoming lame-duck session. 

“We need more transparency and we need to advocate for lower premium costs. I mean, we have to negotiate,” said Larry Wainstein (Democratic nominee, LD33). 

About the Communications Workers of America, District 1 (CWA):

The Communications Workers of America represents 700,000 working men and women in public service, education, telecommunications, customer service, healthcare, media, airlines, and manufacturing. District 1 represents 70,000 total members in New Jersey.