78 Human Services and Community-Based Organizations Call on Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins and Speaker Heastie to Pass NYHA This Session
78 Human Services and Community-Based Organizations Call on Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins and Speaker Heastie to Pass NYHA This Session
CPC and Human Services Council organized the below letter of 78 human services and community-based organizations in support of the New York Health Act. The bill has majority support in both houses, with one more day in session left for it to come to a vote on the floor. The organizations signing on urge the State to pass this bill by the end of session, guaranteeing healthcare for all New Yorkers.
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Dear Assembly Speaker Heastie & Senate Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins,
We, the undersigned group of human service organizations across New York, are in support of the New York Health Act, which would ensure that every New Yorker regardless of immigration status has access to comprehensive and affordable health care. We urge you to ensure that this bill comes to a floor vote and passed before the end of this legislative session.
1.7 million New Yorkers are currently uninsured, over a million of whom live in New York City. The average cost to individuals and families has continued to rise to over $17,500 on average, even with a high average deductible of $2,200. Health care costs have risen at a rate that outstrips income growth, roughly doubling as a percentage against income since 2008 for individuals that purchase insurance through their employers. Burdensome costs and lack of access ultimately mean that many New Yorkers do not receive the care they need. At the same time, healthcare costs are ballooning in New York State, growing over $300 billion by 2020, while our health outcomes are among the worst in the nation.
Many of us working in the human services sector as well as our clients lack high quality health care options. According to the People’s Report on Healthcare in New York State, “a striking number of respondents faced cost barriers and inadequate coverage that prevented medical care. 50% of all privately insured respondents reported skipping or delaying at least one type of care because of cost.” This is precisely why we need to pass the New York Health Act as it will provide all New Yorkers affordable and comprehensive health care. At this moment, during an unprecedented health crisis, we need to ensure that access to quality health care is not a burden. Throughout this pandemic, we have been essential workers working on the frontlines, risking our health to ensure that our community members receive the care that they need. To seek health services should not be an obstacle to navigate for us or our community members.
The New York Health Act would tremendously help social services organizations and our staff, who are chronically underfunded and underpaid to deliver critical services. Social services staff are chronically underpaid, and half are eligible for the same benefits that they enroll their community members in. This is a workforce that represents nearly 20% of New York State jobs, and is primarily made up of women (80%) and people of color (60%). Despite being offered employer sponsored insurance, most still cannot afford healthcare. Many staff members in the human services sector report not being able to afford the $60/month insurance cost, and say that they certainly could not afford the copays on top of it, so avoid seeking medical care.
For human service employers, the cost has risen 92% over the past decade. High costs of health insurance translate to lower wages, reduced benefits, more restrictive health coverage eligibility and less affordability for employees to take up insurance. In social services agencies, constrained by underfunded government contracts, and providing nonprofit services, this is even more stark. What it ultimately means is that we cannot afford to provide the health insurance that our staff cannot afford to have. If the New York Health Act were passed, human services organizations could save millions of dollars while providing better quality health care to staff. Given that social service organizations rely on contract funding on the State and local level to be able to operate, we would be saving money and would be able to allocate more funds into other crucial programs and services.
The New York Health Act will build a long-term system that would serve the needs of our most vulnerable communities and we need to immediately pass this bill to provide care that our communities have been far too long deprived of. This legislation would create a truly affordable and equitable health care system for all. It is also an essential part of a just pandemic recovery and we urge you to make sure that the New York Health Act is passed before the end of the 2021 legislative session.
Signed,
82nd Street Academics
Academy of Medical & Public Health Services
AIDS Center of Queens County
Ali Forney Center
Alliance for Quality Education
Arab-American Family Support Center
Barrier Free Living Inc.
Boys' Club of New York
BronxWorks
Bronx Community College
Cabrini Immigrant Services of NYC, Inc.
CAMBA, INC.
Carroll Gardens Association
Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens
Center for the Integration and Advancement of New Americans, Inc. (CIANA).
Children's Village
Chinese-American Planning Council (CPC)
Chinese Methodist Center Corporation
Citymeals on Wheels
Coalition for Asian American Children and Families
Coalition on Positive Health Empowerment
Community Access, Inc.
Comunilife, Inc
Covenant House New York
Empire State Indivisible
Encore Community Services
FPWA
Girl Vow
Good Shepherd Services
Greater New York Labor-Religion Coalition
Hamilton-Madison House
HANAC, Inc.
Hetrick-Martin Institute
Homeless Services United
Human Services Council
India Home
Inwood House @ Children’s Village
Jacob A. Riis Neighborhood Settlement
Jewel Human Services Inc.
Laal NYC
Lantern Community Services
Lenox Hill Neighborhood House
Literacy Assistance Center
Lutheran Social Services of NY
Martin De Porres Youth and Family Services
Mekong NYC
MinKwon Center for Community Action
Mixteca Organization, Inc.
Nazareth Housing Inc.
New York Council of Nonprofits, Inc.
New York Immigration Coalition
New York Memory Center
Nonprofit Finance Fund
New York Association of Psychiatric Rehabilitation Services, Inc.
NYC Employment and Training Coalition
Opportunities for a Better Tomorrow
Outreach Development Corp
People’s Theatre Project
Polonians Organized to Minister to Our Community, Inc. (POMOC)
Power of Two, Project of the Fund for the City of New York
Pride Center of Staten Island
Project Renewal, Inc.
Retiree Advocate/UFT
RiseBoro Community Partnership
Rising Ground, Inc.
SAGE
Sampreshan Inc
Sanctuary for Families
Sheltering Arms
Sisters of Charity Housing Development Corporation
St Nicks Alliance.org
St. Francis Friends of the Poor
Sunnyside Community Services
Supportive Housing Network of NY
The Fortune Society
The Korean American Family Service Center
Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund
Trinity Alliance of the Capital Region, Inc.
Urban Pathways