Guest editorial by Tim Munier, RN, member of the Democratic Socialists of America, and Kensington resident
There is currently a bill in the New York State Senate that
would establish a statewide universal health care system and could help
families living in Kensington save up to $6,000 a year.
Far from being a
program that simply taxes the middle-class to help the poor, universal health
care eliminates staggering healthcare costs that so often threaten to destroy
middle-class life and small business ownership.
This bill is called The New York Health Act (NYHA), and it just
recently passed the state assembly for the third year in a row. This year,
however, it has progressed further in the state senate than ever before and
requires only one more vote before going to Governor Cuomo for approval.
Like Medicare and Medicaid, under the NYHA, there would be no
deductibles or premiums. Everyone would have access to health coverage
regardless of age, income, or pre-existing conditions.
About 60% of our neighborhood is already covered by public
health coverage plans like Medicare and Medicaid. The NYHA would extend this
coverage to everyone in Kensington and expand coverage to include primary care,
specialists, hospitalization, mental health, reproductive health, dental,
vision, prescription drug, and medical supply costs.
It would guarantee and
protect our health coverage from expensive commercial plans and federal plans
to cut public health coverage.
The NYHA would also be good for the dozens of small businesses
up and down Church, McDonald, and Coney Island avenues. Small businesses, who
pay proportionately more than large businesses under the insurance-based
system, would be relieved of the enormous burden of paying for their employees’
health care.
Further, the NYHA would ensure no network restriction. That is,
every New Yorker would have the freedom to pick their own providers and there
would be no insurance company standing between you and your healthcare
provider.
For this reason, many prominent members of the medical industry have
endorsed the NYHA. These groups include The New York State American Academy of
Pediatrics, The New York State Nurses Association, The New York State Academy
of Family Physicians, and the Doctors Council SEIU.
The bill has passed the New York State Assembly three years
in a row. It only needs to pass the New York State Senate for the governor to
be able to sign it into law, and this year it has gotten more support than ever
before.
Senator Simcha Felder, who represents much of Kensington, is
the only Democratic senator who has failed to endorse the NYHA. With health
coverage under threat by insurance companies and greedy politicians in
Washington, there has never been a more important time to pass the New York
Health Act. Let’s let Senator Felder know that we need the New York Health Act!
Here’s how:
- Call State Senator
Simcha Felder at (518) 455-2754 and ask him to support the bill:
"Hi, my name
is _____. I am a constituent calling from zip code _____. I urge Sen.
Simcha Felder to publicly support Senate Bill S4840, the New York Health Act.
He has the health and money of millions of New Yorkers in his hands. We are
watching his actions with the 2018 election in mind."
- Call State Senator Kemp
Hannon, the chair of the Senate Health Committee, at (518) 455-2200. As the
chair, he's responsible for the health of all New Yorkers and can vote to kill
the bill in committee.
"Hi, my name is ____ and I am a New York state resident. I urge
Sen. Kemp Hannon to publicly support Senate Bill S4840, the New York Health
Act.
He has the health and money of millions of New Yorkers in his hands. We
are watching his actions with the 2018 election in mind."
- Go to the state senate
website at the link here and vote "Aye" on the bill.
- Read more about small
businesses and the NYHA here.
