'Care Today, Gone Tomorrow:' Hospital Advocates Plan State House Rally May 12 to Protest Healt...( PRINCETON N.J. May 7 -- Patients...),Health

PRINCETON, N.J., May 7 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Patients, nurses, physicians and other hospital and healthcare advocates from across the state will converge on the State House May 12 to protest the nearly $300 million in healthcare cuts proposed in Gov. Corzine's 2009 state budget plan.

WHAT: "Care Today, Gone Tomorrow," a Rally to Preserve Our Healthcare

WHERE: State House steps, West State Street, Trenton

WHEN: 12 noon, May 12

The "Care Today, Gone Tomorrow" rally will underscore the access-to-care crisis that looms in New Jersey if the state's proposed cuts to charity care and other healthcare services are approved. New Jersey has lost 30 percent of its hospitals since 1992 -- six in the last 18 months alone. Half of the remaining hospitals are losing money, victims of chronic underfunding from the state's charity care and Medicaid programs. The Corzine Administration admits that its new cuts are likely to force the closure of additional hospitals in the state.

Hospital employees and other advocates will begin amassing at the State House at 11 a.m., with the program set to begin at 12 noon. Speakers who have committed to take part include Senate President Richard Codey (D-West Orange), Sen. Joe Vitale (D-Woodbridge) and Assemblymen Joe Cryan (D-Union) and Joe Malone (R-Bordentown.) Other speakers will include hospital and nursing home CEOs, New Jersey Hospital Association executives and employees and patients affected by the proposed cuts.