RALLY FOR HEALTH CARE REFORM

Join the fight for quality, affordable health

               care for ALL New Yorkers

When:   Tuesday, November 13 - 9:00 a.m.

Where:  Onondaga Community College

              4585 W. Seneca Turnpike, Syracuse,  N.Y.

The New York State Departments of Health and Insurance will conduct the fourth in a series of public hearings to solicit input on how New York can provide quality, affordable health care to all.  Let’s show our support for health care reform by coming to the rally prior to the start of the hearing and making our voices heard!

Bring your signs, your t-shirts and buttons, and bring your enthusiasm!  Let’s show New York’s elected officials that we want real health care reform and we want it now.

Sponsored by:  Tompkins County Health Care

         Taskforce and T.C. Workers’ Center

           For more info:  607-272-0621 or 607-269-0409

A Goal of Universal Coverage for New York State

The New York State Departments of Health and Insurance are conducting public hearings to solicit input as they develop proposals for achieving health care reform and increase access to health insurance coverage for all New Yorkers. They plan to draw on the experience of other states but develop a plan which is suited specifically to New York’s needs and health care challenges.  The goal of the committee is to study alternatives and come up with a plan by next May that the governor can endorse.

New York has nearly three million uninsured many of whom work full time but cannot afford health insurance.  New York State spends more per capita on health care than any other state in the nation but we aren’t getting top results.  Despite the fact that we have increased programs to provide insurance for children and the working poor with Child and Family Health plus we have not been able to decrease the number of uninsured. This is due largely because employers, due to the high cost of health insurance premiums, have cut back on coverage. The whole process has become a vicious cycle.

I was one of thirty three who testified.  There were representatives a broad range of organizations including Excellus and NY Health Plan Association, the CEO of the local hospital, business and labor groups, activist groups, nurses and doctors, small business owners, unions and the LWV.  Over one-third of the groups spoke in support of a single payer financing system with a publicly financed, privately delivered plan which would  allow patients free choice of doctors and would provide comprehensive coverage for all New Yorkers.

 I pointed out that a similar commission had been conducted in Colorado and 31 proposals were submitted with 4 plans ultimately chosen for further cost analysis and study.  Three of the four plans were variations on our current system with individual or employer mandates or both and expanded government (tax payer) financed public programs.  Plan 1 would cost $595 million and cover 41% of the uninsured, Plan 2 would cost $271 million and cover 83% of the uninsured, Plan 3 would cost $1.3 billion and cover 87% of the uninsured.  The fourth plan was a single-payer program governed and administered like a public trust, funded through income tax and payroll deductions.  It offered a complete benefit package and would cover everyone while saving 1.4 billion.

This issue gained heightened awareness with the showing of SICKO across the country.  We had people  giving out materials and having petitions signed at showings of the movies and I was able to submit petitions with 2200 signatures to the Governor’s Health Care Taskforce panel showing our support for a single-payer health care plan .

We hope you can take part in the hearing  in Syracuse on Thursday Nov. 13^th from !0:00- 4:00 at Onondaga Community college.  We also plan to have a rally and press conference at 9:00 a.m. before this hearing .