Res. No. 470
Title
Resolution calling on the State Legislature to pass and the Governor to sign A.4738-A/S.4840-A, legislation that would establish the New York Health program, a universal single payer health plan for all New York State residents.
Body
By The Speaker (Council Member Johnson) and Council Members Rodriguez, Espinal, Torres, Grodenchik, Levine, Perkins, Barron, Levin, Eugene, Chin, Williams, Cohen, Kallos, Brannan and Rivera
Whereas, New Yorkers have experienced a rapid rise in the cost of health care and coverage in recent years; and
Whereas, This increase has resulted in a large number of people without health coverage or with reduced coverage; and
Whereas, Despite the more than 4.3 million people acquiring coverage through the New York Health Plan Marketplace as of February 2018, an unacceptable number of New Yorkers have no health coverage, and many more are severely underinsured; and
Whereas, According to data released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in 2018, New York's uninsured rate was 4.9 percent in 2017; and
Whereas, Voluntary and public hospitals, health centers and other providers who care for patients regardless of their ability to pay now experience substantial monetary difficulties due to treating the uninsured or underinsured; and
Whereas, Patients and health care professionals are sometimes pushed into medical care decisions based on what the insurance company will cover rather than what patient and provider agree is the best course of treatment; and
Whereas, A.4738-A/S.4840-A, sponsored by Assemblyman Richard Gottfried and Senator Gustavo Rivera, would create a universal single payer health plan called New York Health to provide comprehensive health coverage for all New Yorkers; and
Whereas, Every New York resident would be eligible to enroll, regardless of age, income, wealth, employment, or other status; and
Whereas, Under New York Health, cover...
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