Citizen Action Reacts to ACA Decision

by | Jun 28, 2012 | Press Releases

Citizen Action Reacts to ACA Decision

Albany, NY – In response to the decision by the Supreme Court to uphold the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, Karen Scharff, Executive Director of Citizen Action of New York, said:

“The most important result of this decision is that New York can now move forward with its plans to establish a health insurance exchange: to bargain on behalf of consumers and lower insurance rates. Now that the court decision is past us, we can move beyond the battle in the airwaves over the overall merits of the law and begin the work of structuring our state exchange in a way that provides quality, affordable coverage for millions of New Yorkers.”

Lea Webb, Health Care Organizer of Citizen Action of New York and Chair of the Health Care For All New York Racial/Ethnic Disparities Task Force, said:

“The implementation of the ACA is a major step for improving health outcomes in communities of color. The ACA has many provisions specifically designed to address those disparities.   Collecting good data about health care and outcomes so we can track and address disparities, making sure doctors and other providers understand how to treat patients from every culture in our diverse communities, treating patients in the language they are most comfortable speaking, putting doctors in communities that need them. This law ensures that all communities will receive equitable access to health care.”

Citizen Action of New York is a membership organization of over 20,000 members with seven chapters and affiliates across New York. Citizen Action of New York coordinated Health Care For America Now, the largest national grassroots network advocating for quality, affordable health care for all. Citizen Action of New York also is a founding member and leader of Health Care For All New York, the state’s leading coalition on health care.

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