(PDF) (DOC) (JPG)April 3, 2014

(MAHWAH, NJ) – Dr. Jaime Torres, regional director of the New York Office for Health and Human Services, discussed the impact of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in a panel discussion on Thursday, March 27 at Ramapo College.

“The Affordable Care Act is the most comprehensive piece of social legislation since Medicare and Medicaid and is changing the healthcare landscape in our nation in terms of increased access, affordability and quality,” said Dr. Torres. He said millions of New Jerseyans will be covered by the Health Insurance Marketplace, and the majority will have subsidies to help help pay for that coverage.

“The Act is complex, controversial and extremely important,” said Dr. Peter P. Mercer, president of Ramapo College. “It is appropriate that we here at Ramapo College, an institution grounded in critical thinking and community service, examine this issue more closely.”

Open enrollment for the Affordable Care Act began October 1, 2013.  More than six million people nationwide enrolled as of March 31, 2014. The open enrollment period will begin on November 15, 2014 for 2015 coverage. For additional information regarding the Affordable Care Act, visit www.healthcare.gov.

Signed into law in 2010, the ACA survived scrutiny before the United States Supreme Court which declared the individual mandate component of the ACA permissible under Congress’s taxing powers. The ACA includes a number of elements, including individual mandates, insurance exchanges and subsidies designed to reduce the cost of healthcare and to provide coverage to more Americans.

Following remarks by Dr. Torres, a panel discussion took place with members of the Ramapo College faculty including Kathleen Burke, assistant dean of the Ramapo College Nursing Program, Carter Jones Meyer, professor of History, and Eileen Klein, assistant professor of Social Work.  Faculty, students and guests attended the forum. A question and answer session concluded the presentation.  To view a Powerpoint presentation from the event, click here.

###

About Ramapo College

Ramapo College of New Jersey is the state’s premier public liberal arts college and is committed to academic excellence through interdisciplinary and experiential learning, and international and intercultural understanding. The comprehensive college is situated among the beautiful Ramapo Mountains, is within commuting distance to New York City, was named one of the 50 Most Beautiful College Campuses in America by CondeNast Traveler, and boasts the best on-campus housing in New Jersey per Niche.com. Established in 1969, Ramapo College offers bachelor’s degrees in the arts, business, data science, humanities, social sciences and the sciences, as well as in professional studies, which include business, education, nursing and social work. In addition, the College offers courses leading to teacher certification at the elementary and secondary levels, and offers graduate programs leading to master’s degrees in Accounting, Applied Mathematics, Business Administration, Contemporary Instructional Design, Computer Science, Creative Music Technology, Data Science, Educational Leadership, Nursing, Social Work and Special Education, as well as a Doctor of Nursing Practice.

Press Release Archives

| 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 | 2001 | 2000 | 1999 |