HEALTH CARE FOR ALL NEW YORK
Contact: Charlie Albanetti, 518.595.9047
Advocates to Albany Leaders: What’s the Hold Up on the Health Insurance Exchange Law?
New York Must Act Now to Secure Millions in Federal Funding and Offer Affordable Coverage to Uninsured
Albany, NY – On Wednesday, 85 organizations, including member organizations of Health Care for All New York and other health care and consumer rights groups, released an open letter to Governor Cuomo, Senate Majority Leader Skelos and Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver urging them to quickly enact legislation establishing New York’s Health Insurance Exchange, as required under the federal Affordable Care Act passed in March of 2010. If New York fails to pass legislation authorizing the creation of the exchange by the end of the current legislative session (June 20th), the state may lose millions in federal grant money available to assist with implementation. The new health insurance market place will be open to over a million of New York’s uninsured, as well as tens of thousands of small businesses, offering them more affordable health insurance.
New York State, well known for innovative health care policy, is quickly falling behind other states in establishing the framework for an Exchange. Already, California, Vermont, Maryland, and West Virginia have enacted establishing legislation and other states including Washington, Colorado, and Hawaii are expected to do so shortly. In total, 7 states have passed exchange establishing legislation, 24 have legislation or an official process to adopt legislation pending, and New York joins the total of 13 states that have no legislation currently under consideration. The groups are urging Albany’s leaders to enact establishment legislation now in order to tackle to the myriad of complex health policy, insurance and financial decisions must be made in the next two years for the Exchange to operational by the summer of 2013.
“Time is running out for New York’s health consumers and small businesses who face out-of-control health insurance costs,” said Elisabeth Benjamin, Vice President of Health Initiatives at the Community Service Society of New York. “State leaders must act now to pass legislation that will establish an Insurance Exchange. By doing so, New York can take advantage of federal funds to underwrite all of the start-up costs associated with creating an insurance marketplace which will offer high quality, affordable health coverage for our state’s working families and small businesses.”
“With approximately 500,000 uninsured New Yorkers between the ages of 50-64, it is imperative that the state move forward quickly to establish the Health Exchange,” said Lois Wagh Aronstein, AARP New York State Director. “AARP is committed to helping ensure access to affordable health care and prescription drug coverage for our members. The Health Exchange will help people obtain the health care they need.”
“Consumers want greater control, more choices, better quality, increased transparency, and competition in the health insurance market-place,” said Jessica Wisneski, Legislative Director of Citizen Action of New York and Chair of the Health Care for All New York Steering Committee. “But, they also want the assurance that there are high standards and a watch dog to protect them from insurance company abuses. New York must pass legislation that sets up a consumer-driven governing body and structure for the Exchange this session.”
“The Exchange is the cornerstone to ensure that all New Yorkers will have access to health insurance,” said Blair Horner, Vice President of Advocacy for the American Cancer Society of New York And New Jersey. “For cancer patients, lack of insurance can lead to bankruptcy, devastating illness, or worse. New York State must act this session to set up the Exchange that will provide insurance for the tens of thousands living with cancer for years to come.”
“New York State has the opportunity to take steps to establish a robust, consumer-friendly Statewide Insurance Exchange under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), but this action needs to take place now, and we’re looking to the Governor and State Legislature to make it happen,” said Ms. Chung-Wha Hong, Executive Director, The New York Immigration Coalition. “And the legislation developed should ensure an exchange that is accessible to all New Yorkers, regardless of immigration status or language spoken, and that reaffirms New York’s leadership nationally in providing health care coverage.”
“As high users of health care, people with disabilities and serious illnesses need an Exchange that can be an unbiased source of information and assistance to help them choose comprehensive, affordable to use health coverage,” said Heidi Siegfried, Esq., Director of Health Policy for New Yorkers for Accessible Health Coverage.
“The creation of New York’s health insurance exchange will finally provide a place where women can shop for affordable, good quality health insurance for our families,” said Lois Uttley, co-founder of Raising Women’s Voices for the Health Care We Need. “We urge our Governor and Legislative leaders to take the necessary steps now to create the framework for this health insurance ‘supermarket,’ so it will be ready to serve New York families on time, with top-notch customer service.”
“The Affordable Care Act is historic legislation that offers a new opportunity and resources to ‘leader states’ like New York to address our state’s health care crisis and move toward universal health care in a major way,” said Mark Hannay, Director of the Metro New York Health Care for All Campaign, a citywide coalition of community groups and labor unions. “Last year, President Obama and the 110th Congress did their job in creating this new platform and framework for states. Now, it’s time for Governor Cuomo and the State Legislature to step up to the plate this year. We look forward to working with them to craft legislation before the end of session that will create a new robust health insurance exchange that will go to bat for consumers and small businesses across New York and be a true ‘game changer.'”
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