A South Jersey lawmaker will lobby Congress next week on behalf of nearly 1,000 state legislators who back federal health care reform.

Assemblyman Herb Conaway, D-Burlington, said his work as a physician gives him insight into a problem that affects both uninsured and insured New Jerseyans.

"You can just see all of the effects of not having health insurance," Conaway said at a teleconference Tuesday. "Blood pressures are not taken care of. Diabetes is not taken care of. They land in a hospital with a heart attack or stroke. It's a question of life and death for many."

Conaway was among 943 lawmakers from all states who joined a campaign overseen by Progressive States Network, a four-year-old non-profit that advocates on civil rights, workplace, energy, elections and other issues. Only one other New Jersey legislator — Sen. Shirley Turner, D-Mercer — has signed the group's letter to Congress asking for health care reform within 12 months.

"We need more to sign on to this," Conaway said. "If we don't step up and get this thing passed … I don't know when we can do it."

About 1.2 million New Jerseyans lack health policies, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Senior Services. Nearly 120,000 of them are considered high income.

The so-called "public option" insurance or its alternative, a co-op, would let all U.S. citizens enroll in a plan, for an estimated government savings of $500 billion a year.

Advocates say New Jersey policyholders no longer would cover the $1.1 billion annual debt passed to them by insurers and hospitals that are stuck with uncollectible bills. Opponents say that President Obama's ideas are akin to socialized medicine and would dilute the quality of care.

Progressive States Network chose five state lawmakers, including Conaway, to urge members of Congress to support the Obama plan in meetings next week.