New Jersey Quitnet and New Jersey Quitline

Bulletin 01-04

BULLETIN NO. 01-04

TO: ALL NEW JERSEY LICENSED HEALTH INSURANCE COMPANIES, HEALTH SERVICE CORPORATIONS, HOSPITAL SERVICE CORPORATIONS, MEDICAL SERVICE CORPORATIONS, DENTAL SERVICE CORPORATIONS AND DENTAL PLAN CORPORATIONS

FROM: KAREN S. SUTER, COMMISSIONER

RE: NEW JERSEY QUITNET AND NEW JERSEY QUITLINE

Tobacco products pose a serious health threat in New Jersey, and cost the health insurance industry millions of dollars annually. Commissioner Christine Grant of New Jersey's Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) has requested that the Department of Banking and Insurance (DoBI) assist her in promoting new DHSS initiatives to help people who want to quit smoking. The purpose of this Bulletin is to enlist New Jersey health insurers to help promote the DHSS initiatives.

DHSS is providing two new free services that are available to consumers to help them kick the tobacco habit --

New Jersey Quitline (8-866-NJ-STOPS or 1-866-657-8677)

and

New Jersey Quitnet (www.nj.quitnet.com)

. New Jersey

Quitline

provides individualized telephone-based counseling and referral programs for people who want to quit smoking. New Jersey

Quitnet

offers personalized support and referrals online. Health insurers can provide insureds with the

Quitline

toll-free number and

Quitnet

website address by including this information in policy forms and other documents and correspondence. To further promote these services, insurers can hyperlink their own websites to

New Jersey Quitnet,

and include the

New Jersey Quitline/New Jersey Quitnet

logo and access information on certain documents. The address for the link and logo instructions is "nj.quitnet.com/images/qnlogo.jtml".

For additional information on any of the above services, insurers may contact Edward Kazimir at DHSS's Tobacco Control Program at (609) 984-3317.

I strongly urge all health insurers to help support this important program. Your participation will help attack the single most preventable cause of death and disease in New Jersey.

3/25/01

/s/ Karen L

nstructions is "nj.quitnet.com/images/qnlogo.jtml".

For additional information on any of the above services, insurers may contact Edward Kazimir at DHSS's Tobacco Control Program at (609) 984-3317.

I strongly urge all health insurers to help support this important program. Your participation will help attack the single most preventable cause of death and disease in New Jersey.

3/25/01

/s/ Karen L. Suter