On Tuesday March 14, over 200 universal healthcare advocates participated in our 2023 Lobby Day to #PassNYHealth!
THANK YOU for making the day such a success!!
Lobby Day Materials
- You can find a recording of the forum here.
- A transcript of the forum is available here.
- The slidedeck from the recording is here.
- A folder with explainers for each piece of legislation is available here.
Summary of 2023 Legislation Package: Take action by clicking the links in the bill names.
✅New York Health Act (Bill numbers pending) will establish a single-payer universal healthcare system in New York state that will guarantee comprehensive care for all residents and workers, regardless of employment, immigration status or ability to pay!
✅Reproductive Freedom & Equity Act (A00361A / S00348B) will establish a fund to cover the cost of abortion —as well as traveling expenses and childcare costs—for low-income New Yorkers and people coming from out of state. Has already passed the state senate!
✅Coverage 4 All (A3020 / S2237) will create a state-funded Essential Plan for ALL New Yorkers up to 200% of the federal poverty level, regardless of immigration status, by including undocumented immigrants in the state’s application for the 1332 waiver. Submit comments in support of Coverage 4 All.
✅Indigent Care Pool (Bill numbers pending) will redistribute public funding to protect true safety-net hospitals providing health care for low-income, people with disabilities, and communities of color.
✅End Medical Debt package: Ounce of Prevention Act (S1366) requires all hospitals to use a uniform application form and policy and relates to distribution of funds from the general hospital indigent care pool, and Fair Medical Debt Reporting (S4907) prohibits medical debt from being collected by a consumer reporting agency or included in a consumer report.
✅Fair Pay for Home Care would leave room in the budget for home health workers to make 150% of the minimum wage. New York has a home health care shortage and ensuring liveable wages for these highly skilled professionals is the first step to address this.
✅Protect Telemedicine Abortion Across State Lines (S1066A / A1079A) will shield clinicians and pharmacists throughout the state from: prosecution, loss of license or malpractice, and from subpoenas of their medical records for prescribing and sending of abortion pills to people who need them.
Upcoming Events and Additional Action Items
- NYC Retiree Emergency Mobilization Thursday March 9th at 11:30am at the steps of the Museum of the Native American Indian, marching up to City Hall for a rally at 1pm.
- NYC Bike Ride and Rally for the NY Health Act April 15 Beginning @ 11am
- Sign here to ask NYC Comptroller Brad Lander to conduct a fiscal analysis and report of the impact of the New York Health Act on the NYC budget!
- Email & tweet at your legislators, urging them to work to pass the NY Health Act!
Many thanks to our 2023 Lobby Day cosponsors:
Campaign for NY Health
Cattaraugus-Allegany Liberation Collective
Center for the Independence of the Disabled in NY
Chinese-American Planning Council
Council on Interns and Residents
Cuba Cultural Center
Dutchess County Progressive Action Alliance
For The Many
Housing Works
Hudson Valley Demands NY Health
Jews for Racial and Economic Justice
NY Caring Majority
NY Progressive Action Network
NYS Academy of Family Physicians
NY State Nurses Association
NY Statewide Senior Action Council
Students for a National Health Program