Healthcare is a Human Right!

The New York Health Act is a proposed bill that would establish a single-payer health plan for all New York residents administered by the state. The NYHA would ensure comprehensive universal healthcare including primary, preventive, and specialty care; hospitalization; mental health; substance use treatment; reproductive health; dental, vision, and hearing; long-term care; prescription drugs and medical supplies.  
 
New York residents' physical and mental health as well as their financial well-being are at risk due to the state's severe obstacles to accessing high-quality healthcare. When people without proper insurance seek medical attention, they are left without access to high-quality care or financial security, which can result in avoidable illnesses and hospital stays, early mortality, and extreme medical debt.

According to the National Institutes of Health, lack of health insurance is associated with approximately 44,789 deaths per year in the United States which exceeds the number of deaths caused by kidney disease. In New York, there were 930,000 uninsured people in 2022. That's 4.9% of the state's population compared to 8.0% of the U.S. population being uninsured. About 910,000 or 6.1% of adults in New York report having medical debt in a given year from 2019 and 2021. 
 
Funding of the New York Health Act would be through taxes, state, federal and other funds. New Yorker’s will no longer be responsible for copay's, deductibles, or out of pocket costs and eliminates network restrictions. All healthcare providers and facilities, pharmacies, and suppliers will receive payment from the Department of Health directly. Every New York resident will have access to the same full benefits package and a benefit card. 
 
There are many ways that you can be a part of the change: 

• Exercise your right to vote
• Write letters to your local legislators
• Raise awareness by sharing experiences on how the healthcare system has affected you 
• Start conversations on various social platforms
•  Join an advocacy group to educate the public  
• Organize rallies in your local community
• Sign petitions or start a petition of your own 

Dick Gottfried first proposed this bill back in 1992 and has yet to be passed. Senators are currently working towards getting this bill passed by the Legislature, however, many republican senators have prevented it from moving any further. Singing this petition will only take a minute out of your day and is a big factor in working towards change. We must start addressing the failures in our health system that leave the most vulnerable in our communities at risk.