Dear Governor, NY State Senate and Assembly Leadership and Lawmakers, 

Endorsed by 500+ small business and 700+ organizations including the New York State Nurses Association, 1199SEIU - the largest healthcare union in the nation, and the Working Families Party.

Please add your name to show our elected officials that New Yorkers want universal healthcare!

Doctors for New York Health Petition

Current and future physicians, please add your name below.

The injustices within the current U.S. healthcare system have never been more apparent. We must create a system that guarantees care for everybody. The New York Health Act will provide comprehensive, universal healthcare — including long-term care — for every resident of New York. 

We are current and future physicians of New York State.

We see our patients needlessly suffering – routinely denied essential care by their insurance companies and unable to pay for medications, tests, and doctor visits, they are often forced to delay treatment and fail to address treatable illnesses. Now, as the pandemic, recent federal cuts to healthcare, and the effects of the growing healthcare affordability crisis continue to unfold, we witness the consequences of this fragmented and unequal system of care: Black and immigrant communities have seen the highest rates of death from COVID and are disproportionately hurt by cuts to Medicaid, millions of people, including striking unionized nurses, have lost their employer-sponsored health plan just when they needed it most, and under-insurance continues to be a problem, especially for mental healthcare, dental care, and home care. Private insurance companies posted record profits through the height of the pandemic and continue to make a killing today. We cannot remain quiet while the current health insurance system causes millions of New Yorkers to struggle with preventable illness and death.

Every one of our patients deserves to receive the care they need. We urge you to support the New York Health Act and replace private insurance with comprehensive, universal healthcare for every New Yorker. 

Here’s how New Yorkers will benefit:

1. Comprehensive coverage. All residents, regardless of immigration status, will be covered for: primary, preventive, and specialty care; hospitalization; mental health; reproductive health; gender-affirming care; dental, vision, and hearing; long-term care and support services; and prescription drugs and medical supplies. It is more comprehensive than any commercial, public, or union-negotiated health plan in existence.

2. Freedom to choose. No network restrictions. No prior-authorizations. Patients will choose the doctors they want and make healthcare decisions with them, with no interference by insurance companies.

3. Fairly funded. No more premiums, deductibles, or co-pays. Universal coverage funded through a graduated tax on income, based on ability to pay. Healthcare costs will be reduced for over 90% of New Yorkers. Most business healthcare expenditures will also be reduced.

4. Generates billions in savings. No more paying insurance companies’ administrative costs, profits and advertising. No more time spent by doctors, hospitals, employers, and patients completing forms and negotiating with insurance companies. The total savings is estimated to be $60 billion, $20 billion net, annually. Healthcare will be accountable to the public’s health, not to insurance company stockholders. Major county and property tax savings.

5. Reduced cost of drugs and devices. Direct negotiation with pharmaceutical companies and medical device makers will bring prices down by as much as 40%.

Today, 25 states are considering single-payer legislation. New York is the closest to passing a bill. Make our state a national leader in protecting residents from federal cuts to care and in pandemic recovery by supporting and passing the New York Health Act and enshrining health as a human right for all. Passing the NY Health Act has never been more urgent.

Sincerely,

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PRINT the Doctors for NY Health Petition HERE
View the list of physicians who have endorsed the New York Health Act HERE

Dear Governor, Senate Majority Leaders, and Assembly Speaker:

We urge you to support the New York Health Act:

Although the Affordable Care Act has made improvements in our health care system by expanding access and curbing the most abusive practices of the health insurance industry, it will not bring health care to all nor control costs. Millions will still be uninsured or underinsured—one job loss or illness away from bankruptcy. Billions of dollars will continue to be wasted by private, for-profit insurance companies. These dollars could all be going toward providing health care if we eliminated this unnecessary middleman.

As physicians we have seen, up close, how our patients are suffering: unable to pay for their medications, tests and doctor visits. Because of this, many delay treatment until their health is in jeopardy. They are forced to choose between buying food and buying pills. They avoid costly tests and doctor visits, so that a curable cancer becomes deadly due to lack of timely treatment. Every day five New Yorkers die due to lack of health care. That’s about 2,000 lives per year in our state.

We can do better.

There is a growing movement across the country to push for state single-payer systems; 25 states have introduced single payer bills. New York State can lead the way to health justice with the New York Health Act. It provides publicly funded, privately delivered health care. It would save taxpayers and businesses billions of dollars while improving health care for everyone. It would change the way we treat health care: as a basic human right and not as a luxury only some can afford.

That is why we urge you to act to pass this important bill.

Sincerely,