For Immediate Release: June 15, 2011
Contact: Charlie Albanetti, 518.595.9047
Media Advisory
for
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Governor’s Health Exchange Bill to Save New Yorkers Money
Final Legislative Priority Must Be Health Exchange Bill, Say Dozens of Advocacy, Consumer, Community Groups
Albany, NY – On Thursday, member organizations of Health Care for All New York, joined by representatives of community groups, labor unions, and others interested in protecting New York’s health care consumers will gather outside the Senate chamber in the Capitol to call on the Senate and Assembly to pass legislation that will authorize the creation of a Health Benefit Exchange in New York State.
Both the Governor and the State Senate have introduced legislation authorizing the creation of the Exchange. However, through a comparison of the bills, health care advocates have shown that the State Senate’s proposal is silent on key consumer protection provisions. In particular, advocates will be calling for a critical cost-savings measure to be included in the final legislation. This provision essentially allows the Exchange to operate as a bulk purchases, leveraging the buying power of the individuals and small businesses who buy coverage through the Exchange.
What: Dozens of Advocates, Organizations, Labor Urgently Call for Passage of Health Exchange Legislation Before End of Session
Who: AARP, American Cancer Society, Children’s Defense Fund/New York, Citizen Action of New York, Community Service Society of New York, Make The Road New York, Metro New York Health Care for All Campaign, NY Alliance for Women’s Health, New Yorkers for Accessible Health Coverage, New York Immigration Coalition, Raising Women’s Voices, Schuyler Center for Analysis and Advocacy, 1199SEIU, Small Business Majority
When: Thursday, June 16, 2011 – 11:00 am
Where: Top of Senate Staircase, 3rd Floor, Capitol