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November 6, 2009
GREETINGS AND SAL-UTATIONS!
Dear NJGCA Member:
YOUR HEALTHCARE - A FRANK DISCUSSION!
A NEW GOVERNOR FOR NEW JERSEY - WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR YOU?
Ok...anytime the cost of anything goes up there is consternation on the part of those who are paying the increased cost. That is human nature...right? So it should not come as a surprise to anyone that NJGCA members were a bit dazed regarding the recent increase in monthly Healthcare premiums from Association Master Trust (AMT). I want all members to have a clear understanding and to fully digest the following information even if you do not purchase your Healthcare coverage from AMT. If you are a member and you do not purchase Healthcare coverage from AMT, the information below should make you re-consider that choice.
First I want you to understand how AMT works so that you aren't fooled by a competitor in to thinking that an increase in premiums results in extra profits for AMT. Let me be clear...AMT is set up under the laws of New Jersey so that the defacto owners of AMT are the actual participants/plan holders. Profits are realized in the form of savings to the participants/plan holders. That means lower monthly Healthcare premiums. AMT does not add additional costs to your monthly bill in order to return a profit to stockholders. The AMT Board of Trustees approves rates based on paying the claims of the participants, and the costs associated with paying the general overhead such as salaries, rents and printing etc. NO PROFITS. This is why AMT can offer Healthcare plans at a reduced price.
In fact, NJ law requires that only participants/plan holders are permitted to sit on the AMT Board of Trustees. NJ law also does not permit anyone to be a participant/plan holder unless they are a member of one of the 13 associations that have grouped together and formed AMT. AMT was formed over 30 years ago. NJ law no longer allows these types of Healthcare groups and as such AMT is grandfathered.
OH...that reminds me.......for the past two years NJGCA members participating in the AMT Healthcare program have received additional savings in the form of a dividend check. For 2 years in a row, the trustees of NJGCA/AMT sub-trust voted to return money to NJGCA members, that other Healthcare insurers would normally pay to their stockholders as a profit. Members received checks representing a percentage of the premiums they paid during the previous year in order that they be distributed equitably and fairly.
AMT can offer many kinds of plans; however, because AMT is self funded, New Jersey law does not permit AMT to offer an HMO type of Healthcare plan at this time. BUT...AMT offers plans that compete with competitor HMOs with better benefits to YOU! This is particularly important if you have children attending college out of state, since HMOs only pay for emergency Healthcare out of state.
There will always be insurance agents soliciting your business and claiming they can save you lots of money. When you compare what they are offering with a similar AMT plan you will learn that an AMT plan is still less costly. I have done the comparisons myself with members who have received quotes from other agents trying to sneak in the back door with rates that seem attractive. Members who have investigated altering their present AMT plan to compare with similar plans offered by competitors have found AMT plans to be less expensive. Think about it.....are competitors exempt from rising hospital costs?? Are competitors exempt from the rising cost of prescription drugs? Absolutely not!
I have been prompted to write today's message because just this past week AMT was able to save as much as 38% for several members that were ready to bind coverage with other Healthcare insurers. Once they compared a similar AMT plan with that being offered by another insurer, they were able to save even more. Since September there have been more than 40 members who have realized a significant savings because they asked AMT to review their previous Healthcare plan.
If you are still confused, please call me directly. My goal is for all NJGCA members to take advantage of a benefit that by law ONLY NJGCA members can participate in. Don't be silly about this. Call me before you let a zealous agent try to sell you something that you can get less expensively from AMT. I will make sure AMT visits you immediately. Don't forget to ask the zealous agent trying to lure you away from AMT if he too will pay you a dividend if his company earns any unexpected or extra profits. Wanna bet that he won't?????
AMT is a great benefit! TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT!!
A week ago, I told you that elections matter and it was in your best interest to vote on Tuesday. Well, Election Day has come and gone and residents have elected Chris Christie New Jersey’s 55th Governor.
So what does this mean to you?
Throughout the campaign, Christie has presented himself as a pro-business candidate who understands the needs of business owners and has wants to streamline the bureaucratic chaos in Trenton. That means reducing burdensome business regulations and making it easier to establish or move businesses to New Jersey. More importantly for us, Christie does not support raising the Gas Tax, which would have a dire affect on NJGCA members.
We still have a long way to go before we see him make good on these promises, but from the onset, this all looks promising. Just as with the Corzine Administration, our goal is to build a good relationship with the future Christie Administration and make our views known. I will need your help to accomplish this.
However, this doesn’t mean that we can all go on vacation until January. We are currently in the Lame Duck session, which means that come January we have to start our Legislative efforts from scratch all over again. For that reason it is IMPERATIVE that we do all we can get Right to Repair passed before the new Legislature is sworn in.
Please be on the look out for communications asking you to contact Legislators and asking them to post Right to Repair in the Senate.
We cannot afford to lose this fight – BE PREPARED TO ACT!!
Thanks for listening - See you next week!
Regards,
Sal Risalvato
Executive Director
IN THIS WEEK’S NJGCA ROAD WARRIOR
POLITICAL PARTICIPATON: THE NJGCA PAC
•Participate in the NJGCA PAC today and help us keep our Agenda rolling in Trenton!
UPDATE: NEW PIF CLASSES ADDED!!
•Take your inspector Refresher Course with NJGCA! November and December classes added!
BUSINESS TOOLS: PH2 SOLUTIONS
•Diagnose check engine lights before they appear! A GREAT tool for your shop!
NEWS AROUND THE STATE
•Pennsylvania to add tolls to Route 80?
•Jobs lost in NJ may not return for a decade
•Report states Cap & Trade will create a $3.6 Billion Gas Tax, will hurt families
•Support for Right to Repair grows
ON THE NJGCA HOMEPAGE
MEMBER SAVINGS PAGE
Check out all of our MBPs and Programs designed to SAVE YOU MONEY!
HELPFUL LINKS
Looking for something? Take a look at our list of useful links!
NEWSLETTER ARCHIVE
Find all our communications and search for old e-newsletters. Take a look!
NEWS AROUND THE STATE ARCHIVE
Need to catch up on events? Want to see what's going on? Find out here!
KNOW YOUR TERRITORY MANAGER!
Henry Darden: Territory Manager for Middlesex, Union, Part of Essex (Southern Half)
Cell: 908-247-2992
Email: henry@njgca.org
Jack Leli: Territory Manager for Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester, Ocean, Salem
Cell: 732-995-1637
Email: jack@njgca.org
Bob Quirk: Territory Manager for Bergen, Hudson, Part of Essex (Northern Half)
Cell: 201-214-8836
E-mail: bob@njgca.org
Frank Stewart: Territory Manager for Morris, Sussex, Warren, Hunterdon, Passaic
Cell: 973-234-7403
Email: frank@njgca.org
Don Stohrer: Territory Manager for Monmouth, Mercer, Somerset
Cell: 732-539-2955
Email: don@njgca.org
POLITICAL PARTICIPATON: THE NJGCA PAC
Ensuring our friends in the legislature are re-elected and advocating for our agenda in Trenton are of utmost importance to the agenda of NJGCA.
It is for this reason that your Association has established the NJGCA PAC.
For too long, the weight of funding our Political Action Committee, the arm of the Association responsible for political donations, has rested upon the shoulders of a few. This is not fair to them, and it is not fair to many of you who are relying on the benefits of good legislation being passed in Trenton.
To truly understand the importance of fundraising for our allies, let’s look back upon the overwhelming successes of the last year:
NJGCA successfully lobbied against BELOW COST SELLING. If approved, BELOW COST SELLING would have cost each of you thousands of dollars and put many of you out of businesses. NJGCA leaned on some of our friends in the Assembly and literally had the bill pulled off the floor on the day it was scheduled to be voted on. Our friends in the Legislature helped us get this accomplished.
NJGCA made history and led the charge to pass the most comprehensive protection of franchisees in decades with FIRST RIGHT OF REFUSAL legislation. FIRST RIGHT OF REFUSAL passed only because NJGCA and dealers throughout the state were able to lean on several friends in the Assembly and the Senate.
NJGCA has been rallying support for RIGHT TO REPAIR over the last two years among key legislators. This would end the practice of car manufacturers denying you the codes necessary to complete the repairs you make on your customers cars. Every state has tried to pass RIGHT TO REPAIR and no state has even been able to get the legislation out of committee. Because of our friends in the Legislature, NJGCA has been successful in getting this bill passed by the Assembly and now awaits a vote in the Senate.
I am asking some of you as individuals to make a contribution and attend a fundraising event sponsored by one of our friends in the Assembly.
However, we will not be able to host events for all of our friends, so the NJGCA PAC will have to make contributions. You will be receiving letters soon from the NJGCA PAC asking you to make contributions.
If every member contributes just $100.00 we will be able to provide the help necessary to ensure victory for our allies.
I understand that times are tough for all NJGCA members, but this is just as important as any battle we have fought in the past.
We have made great progress in Trenton. I hope that you will answer the call.
UPDATE: NEW PIF CLASSES ADDED!!
Due to overwhelming demand, NJGCA has added additional classes in November and December. As you know, the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission has recently sent out a VID message to all Private Inspection Stations in state.
All currently licensed Inspectors must complete an Inspector refresher course and pass a general knowledge exam with a grade of 80% or better to remain in the program. If any test-taker answers 11 questions wrong, they will automatically fail. A hands-on test for licensed Inspectors will not be required.
Inspectors will have until December 31, 2009 to take and pass the test.
Current Licensed Emission Inspectors only need the “Re-Fresher Course” and the “Written Exam”. New Emission Inspectors will be given a “Hands On” test separately at your place of employment by the State of New Jersey.
NJGCA will be offering refresher courses at the following two locations. Classes will take place over five evenings and one afternoon:
NJGCA Headquarters
66 Morris Avenue
Springfield, NJ 07087
November: 3, 5, 10, 12, 17 and 19th
NJGCA Headquarters
66 Morris Avenue
Springfield, NJ 07087
December: 1, 3, 8, 10 15 and 17th
NJGCA Members Cost - $349.00
Non-Members Cost - $489.00
Manuals are included in the prices above and payment is due upon registration. All classes are 6:45 pm to 10:00 pm; the “Written Exam” will be given on the last day at 12:00pm at NJGCA Headquarters in Springfield, NJ.
If you are interested, please contact our office to enroll in a class.
Please contact Debbie Hill at 973-376-0066 with any questions.
BUSINESS TOOLS: PH2 SOLUTIONS
Let Nu-Path Logic® diagnostic software ( www.ph2solutions.com ) help expand your emission repair business and add value to customers by offering their failed vehicle “same-day” diagnosis, repair and successful re-inspection service. Experience how Nu-Path: slashes the diagnostic time and effort your current tools require; accurately detects failures before Check Engine Lights appear; validates repairs with a quick automated 15 minute readiness drive cycle process. To schedule a demonstration and see if you’re eligible for a software trial, contact Gloria Cowart at: 973-902-5517.
NEWS AROUND THE STATE
10/30/2009:
Pennsylvania to add tolls to Route 80?
New Jersey residents and businesses traveling through Pennsylvania may soon face new tolls as state officials in Harrisburg are seeking federal approval to install tolls on Route 80. Funds raised from the additional tolls would be used for infrastructure repairs.
10/29/2009:
Jobs lost in NJ may not return for a decade
Rutgers University researchers have predicted that the jobs lost during the current recession will not return for a decade. Slow population growth, competition from other states and local factors will drag out the state’s employment recovery.
10/29/2009:
Report states Cap & Trade will create a $3.6 Billion Gas Tax, will hurt families
In testimony before the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, opponents of the federal Cap & Trade bill estimate that the Waxma-Markey proposal will result in over $3.6 trillion in additional Gas Tax funds. The study by Senators Kay Bailey Hutchinson and Kit Bond illustrates an additional $2.0 trillion tax on gasoline, a $1.3 trillion tax on diesel fuel, and a $330 billion tax on jet fuel. Combined the additional tax levy would hurt families and business owners.
10/22/2009:
Support for Right to Repair grows
Congressional support for the Federal Right to Repair Act has grown, as five new Legislators added their support to the bill. Forty-five legislators now back this pro-small business legislation.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ARTICLES IN OUR “NEWS AROUND THE STATE” ARCHIVE
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