HOW NEW YORK REACTS TO HEALTH CARE LAW

****

Supreme Court Upholds Health Care Reform

"New York Can Do Even Better" through Single Payer

Statement by Assembly Health Committee Chair Richard N. Gottfried

****

Richard N. Gottfried

The Affordable Care Act has made major improvements in how health care is delivered and paid for. The Supreme Court decision will protect the life and health of millions of Americans.

However, the ACA still leaves insurance companies with too much control of our health and our wallets. Premiums skyrocket every year, while patients and their doctors try to figure out what is covered and then try to get reimbursed.

New York can do better. Now that the federal law is settled, we can focus on building a better system here. We can get better coverage, get all of us covered, and save billions by having New York provide publicly-sponsored, single-payer health coverage, like Medicare or Child Health Plus for everyone. That's why I've introduced the "New York Health" bill in Albany.

Like other basic services such as education, police, fire protection, and roads, paying for health care should be a public responsibility. We should not be at the mercy of insurance companies and their ever increasing premiums. Health care should be a basic right, not a privilege or a commodity.

Governor Cuomo's Medicaid redesign work has taken remarkable leadership to improve health care and reign in health costs in the Medicaid program that serves millions of low-income patients. Now it's time to help the millions of New York residents and businesses that currently buy private insurance. The majority of doctors, nurses, and patients prefer a single payer system, as do many small businesses and unions. It would save taxpayers and businesses billions of dollars while improving health care for everyone.

In 2011, Vermont enacted legislation that lays the path to create a single-payer system for that state. Despite the political climate in Washington, states like New York have a history of understanding that we have a responsibility to protect the right to health care for all.

Assembly Member Gottfried is author of "New York Health," the universal single payer health care bill, (A. 7860-A, Gottfried; S.5425-A, Duane). For the full text of the bill, go to http://public.leginfo.state.ny.us and type: A7860.

ABOUT THE "NEW YORK HEALTH" BILL

All New York residents would receive comprehensive health coverage under New York Health. Publicly-sponsored coverage would replace insurance company coverage.

No one would have to give up the doctors or other providers they use. Patients would have freedom of choice of health care providers. Patients and their doctors - not insurance companies - would make health care decisions. All New Yorkers would be covered for all medically necessary services, including: primary, preventive, and specialist care; hospital; mental health; reproductive health care; dental; vision; prescription drug; and medical supply costs. It would provide a full benefit package to all New Yorkers that is more comprehensive than most commercial health plans. Health coverage would be accountable to the people of New York, not to insurance company stockholders.

Instead of individuals and employers paying high premiums, deductibles and co-pays, the coverage would be funded through a graduated tax on payroll and non-payroll income based on ability to pay. The cost of New York Health would not be new spending. For most people, it will be a substantial reduction in what they are now spending. When employers and individuals aren't "taxed" by out-of-control insurance company premiums and deductibles, most people's take-home pay will go up. You and your health care provider work to keep you healthy. New York Health pays the bill.

We would get the administrative and cost savings of a single-payer system - which have been documented in repeated independent studies.

In 2009, the "Partnership for Coverage" report by the New York State Health and Insurance Departments, based on an analysis by the Urban Institute, found that a single-payer plan would be the lowest-cost alternative for universal coverage, compared to plans relying on insurance companies and employment-based coverage.

The New York Health bill is endorsed by the American Academy of Pediatrics (New York chapter), the American College of Physicians (internal medicine) (New York chapter), and the New York State Academy of Family Physicians.

New York Health would save billions of dollars now spent on insurance company administrative costs and profit and billing and collecting for hospitals, physicians, and other health care providers. Federal and state funds that now pay for Medicare and Medicaid would be folded into the New York Health Trust Fund to help pay for the program.

New York Health would eliminate the local share of funding for Medicaid.

By eliminating the need for any employer to provide health coverage for its workers, we would make New York dramatically more job-friendly, especially for small businesses, start-ups and low-margin businesses, while offering better and more secure coverage to every New Yorker.



Editors Note: We applaud the work Richard N. Gottfried performs for the people of New York State. Richard is always on top of the issues and always looking to do what is right. Richard does not care which way the politics flow, he speaks his mind and he makes sense. Thank god for great politicians like Richard N. Gottfried!