Healthcare for Every New Yorker
The New York Health Act [A.6058/S.5474] will provide comprehensive health care for every New Yorker. You and your healthcare provider of choice will work to keep you healthy—New York Health pays the bill. You will never have to fear going without coverage again—especially in the middle of a deadly pandemic.
We applaud Governor Hochul’s recognition of the ways in which New York’s health system has failed our state’s communities of color, and her commitment to achieving greater health equity. While recognition of the problem is an important step towards addressing it, the Governor’s State of the State address puts forth modest approaches when deep systemic change is needed to create the strongest possible system that guarantees high-quality, equitable care for all, regardless of race, gender, employment, or citizenship status.
We are in the third year of a pandemic. Tens of thousands of New Yorkers died, lost income, fell behind on rent, and struggled to pay medical bills. Meanwhile, private health insurance corporations continue to make record profits. The COVID-19 pandemic puts everyone at risk, but Black, brown, and low-income New Yorkers carry the greatest burden of exposure, with disproportionately more serving as essential workers and disproportionately fewer having access to healthcare.
The State Legislature, Leader Stewart-Cousins, Speaker Heastie and Gov. Hochul must pass universal healthcare in 2022 by prioritizing:
- Passing Coverage 4 All (A880A/S1572A) to be included in the NYS Budget - creates a state-funded Essential Plan for New Yorkers up to 200% of the federal poverty level who are currently excluded because of their immigration status. This could be implemented within 6-12 months for immediate relief.
- Passing the End Medical Debt package of bills by end of session (this legislation can be passed outside of the budget as standalone bills) - A7363/S6522 stops hospitals from placing liens on patients' homes or garnishing wages; A3470B/S2521B would require notifying patients about facility fees ahead of time and prohibit facility fees for preventive services, and A8441/S7625 would ensure that New Yorkers are aware of financial assistance options. This significantly helps reduce predatory medical billing practices in the current healthcare system.
- Passing the NY Health Act (A6058/S5474) by end of session (this legislation can be passed outside of the budget as a standalone bill - the #NYHealthAct is intentionally written to first pass on human rights principles - that care should be equitable and available to all. Then we pass the funding mechanisms in the following session - that is when NYHA becomes part of the budget battle) - begins implementation of systemic long-term change to guarantee universal, comprehensive, single-payer healthcare to everyone who lives or works in New York. Also saves NY State billions of dollars. We know that people WITH insurance, still can't get the care they need. We must #PassNYHealth for systemic and sustainable transformation of healthcare.
It is important to fight for the priorities in the budget fight (#Coverage4All, #FairPay4HomeCare,#ScrapTheCap and more), but also to emphasize that we can’t trade one for the other - they are all priorities that must be passed this session! #EndMedicalDebt #PassNYHealth
By fighting for these critical measures both in & out of the budget process, we build our collective power to win a just health system for all New Yorkers, with guaranteed universal coverage (including long-term care) & a health system where all of us can thrive.
Join us in building the movement to win universal, guaranteed healthcare. See below for ways to get involved in passing the New York Health Act!
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Why Take Action for the New York Health Act
Covers Everybody
Each of us gets the healthcare we need through a just, equitable healthcare system that guarantees care for every one who works full-time or lives in New York as a fundamental human right, not just a privilege for those who can afford it.
Comprehensive Plan
New York Health covers ALL medically necessary care, including medical, prescription, vision, dental, hearing, long-term care and support services, mental health and substance abuse treatment, and reproductive care. One comprehensive plan, freedom of provider choice, no more networks.
Reduces Costs
New York Health pays for all covered services, giving it the power to eliminate administrative waste and contain costs. You can access care without unaffordable co-pays, deductibles, or premiums! By moving to a more efficient healthcare system, an estimated 90% of New Yorkers are expected to pay less than they currently do.
Our Healthcare
New York Health is accountable to all of us — the public. Doctors and nurses - not insurance companies - work with you to decide your care. This ensures that private profit never comes before public health. In the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s become even more clear how necessary a universal public system is to beat the virus, and to build back stronger.
About Us
The Campaign for New York Health is a coalition of organizations, unions, businesses and individuals committed to guaranteeing healthcare for the residents of our state (and those that work in our state but live elsewhere!). Our goal is to win improved Medicare for All in New York State.
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) made history by expanding health insurance to thousands of New Yorkers for the first time. However, the ACA still left private insurance companies in charge of our healthcare system. Meanwhile, the number of uninsured is growing because people are losing their health insurance tied to their jobs, resulting in more than one million New Yorkers having no insurance whatsoever in the middle of a pandemic.
As a just recovery to the pandemic, it’s imperative that New York establish a truly universal healthcare system that controls the outrageous costs and dismantles the discriminatory and fragmented for-profit structure. Our state can set the standard for the country by implementing a just and equitable healthcare system — New York Health!