Legislative Panel: O’Scanlon and Ruiz Warn of Health Benefit “Death Spiral”

At a recent Legislative Panel, co-hosted by the Garden State Coalition of Schools and the New Jersey School Boards Association Governmental Relations Department,  Senate Republican Budget Officer Declan J. O’Scanlon Jr. (R-13) and Senate Majority Leader Teresa Ruiz (D-29) discussed the mounting crisis in public employee and school district healthcare costs, calling the current system unsustainable. Both senators warned of long-term fiscal impacts on districts and local governments, and emphasized the need for bipartisan action to contain costs and restructure the health benefits system.