In Broome County, 64 percent of our property taxes pay for the county’s Medicaid contribution. With the New York Health Act (NYHA), this would go away. Another 20 percent could be subtracted from the county budget for the health insurance for all current and retired county employees — fire, police, library, school, etc. — paid for by county taxpayers who often have little or no health insurance.

NYHA would shave off $71 billion of New York’s $280 billion health care tab this year, which will inevitably be more next year. As Mr. Wolcott wrote, “one-third of our premium dollars are wasted on private insurers’ billing, marketing and salaries,” never mind on all the corporate mergers and takeovers.

Read the full letter here.