Call Your State Senator Today for Universal Healthcare!


Today is the statewide call-in day to the New York State Senate for the New York Health Act (S4840)!

The Campaign for New York Health is asking New Yorkers across the state to call (email and/or tweet!) your State Senator today and ask them to fight for truly universal, guaranteed healthcare!

The Assembly passed the New York Health Act three years in a row. Now we need the Senate to do the same! There are currently 29 cosponsors in the Senate.* Two open Senate seats will be filled in April’s special elections, which could bring us back up to 31 cosponsors — just one away from a majority.

Why take action today? The New York Health Act (S4840) is legislation that would provide comprehensive health coverage for every resident of New York. Instead of having to worry about getting health insurance through your job, spouse, or buying it on your own, all New Yorkers would automatically have their healthcare covered by a public statewide fund, regardless of age, employment, or financial means. Everyone would have access to healthcare the way everyone has access to the fire department, libraries, and schools — public services provided without you ever having to worry about a bill.

But the Senate won’t act unless they hear from you. Please call your Senator today!

Want to get more involved? Learn more about how to support universal healthcare in NY and attend one of our upcoming events:

Thank you for taking action for healthcare justice!

*List of Senate cosponsors of S4840: https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2017/s4840/amendment/a

Support Universal Healthcare in New York!

Health care is a human right and New York could lead the nation in Medicare for All — if our State Senators vote YES on the New York Health Act!

What is the New York Health Act?

Assembly Bill A4738 (Gottfried) | Senate Bill S4840 (Rivera)

The NY Health Act is a bill for comprehensive, universal health coverage for every New Yorker, provided through a single-payer system that would replace private insurance.

Download Flyer (PDF)

New York Health Act

Freedom to choose
You pick your health care providers. No network restrictions.

Comprehensive coverage
All New Yorkers are covered and patients and doctors make health care decisions— not insurance companies.

Paid for fairly
Coverage is funded through a progressive payroll deduction similar to FICA, based on ability to pay. No premiums, deductibles or co-pays.

Good for local businesses
Simplifies and reduces costs for employers by taking them out of the business of buying health coverage.

The most affordable way
No more wasting billions of dollars each year on insurance administration and profits for big corporations.

Can universal health care really happen in NYS?

Yes, and we are closer than ever. Last year, the bill easily passed the NYS Assembly. However, the bill got stuck in the NYS Senate Health Committee. Two of the State Senators who represent our region (Seward and Larkin) are on that committee and they need to know that you want to see them not only get this bill out of committee, but that they will vote YES for the bill once it gets to the floor.

Without the ACA, or a diminished ACA, will the NY Health Act still be financially viable?

Yes, and it can actually help NY deal with the consequences of Trumpcare. With the damage that is being done to the ACA, NY will lose some of its federal health care funding. These losses can be offset by the savings that NY Health delivers—through decreased administrative costs and higher bargaining power for pharmaceuticals and medical devices.

The time to act is NOW!

For in-depth information on the New York Health Act, visit the Campaign for New York Health website. This economic analysis is also particularly helpful in understanding the financial impacts of the NYHA.

 

Continue reading “Support Universal Healthcare in New York!”

Now is our chance to help New York vote!

New York ranks near the bottom when it comes to voter registration and turnout. Let’s fix this before the end of the legislative session.

Ulster people, call your State Senators and demand:

  • Early Voting through Senate Bill S2950 and Assembly Bill A2064, which which gives working people more time to make it to the polls.
  • Automatic & Same Day Voter Registration through the Voter Empowerment Act (Senate Bill S3304 and Assembly Bill A2278), which streamlines voter registration.
  • An Easier Way to Switch Parties in Time to Vote in the Primaries through Senate Bill S2940 and Assembly Bill A5943, which adopt the deadline used in most other states: a postmark 25 days prior to an election (instead of New York’s current requirement of up to 11 months before!).

Help New York Vote!

Please read below for more information & suggested talking points (PDF).

Continue reading “Now is our chance to help New York vote!”