By Barbara Estrin, June 2, 2019

I applaud The Riverdale Presseditorial supporting the urgency of the New York Health Act, first because it goes forcefully beyond its Feb. 17 opinion, citing state Sen. Alessandra Biaggi’s post-election caution on a bill key to her campaign victory. I agree with this week’s stand that we must forgo a healthy patience so that all New Yorkers can be healthy patients.

The Riverdale Presshas been a rare voice in the media, giving the New York Health Act coverage at all stages of the fight for passage. Its reporting is all the more important because so few New Yorkers even know about the bill, which will provide universal, comprehensive affordable health care at a time when — with high co-pays, prohibitive networks, huge deductibles — average families in our state pay more for inadequate coverage than they do for food or rent.

Since her post-election remarks, Sen. Biaggi has spoken in favor of the bill at numerous public forums in her district. Even before she was sworn in, she was the only state senator to cite her endorsement at the city council hearings on Dec. 8 of last year. And she is an official sponsor of this year’s senate bill….

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