For 2008, we urge passage of the following:

 We support the Governor’s efforts to improve access to public health insurance programs.  The expansion of insurance coverage for children is an important step forward, coupled with the administration’s continuing efforts to cut the red tape that is keeping adults away from our primary health care system.

 New York should also expand Family Health Plus to cover all adults with familyincomes less than 250% of the Federal Poverty Level and allow higher income adults to buy-in on a sliding payment scale at a significant savings overprivate health insurance.  ChildHealth Plus B should be extended to young adults through age 21.  Young adults through age 21 who earn too much to qualify for coverage should be allowed to buy-in to Child Health Plus by paying the full premium. 

 The excessive prices charged by drug companies and the impact of those prices on New York’s ability to operate public drug coverage programs like Medicaid and EPIC is a concern to many low-income New Yorkers and those on a fixed income.  New York needs a bulk-buying program for prescription drugs in all of our publicly funded health care programs.  Studies show that our state could save billions of dollars each year through such an initiative.   New York should create mechanisms that allow private employers and self-insured plans to take advantage of these lower priced drugs,and should ensure New York’s commitment to promoting access to affordable drug coverage by removing EPIC’s exclusion of non-elderly individuals with disabilities.  

The number of New Yorkers without employer-sponsored health insurance is rising, and premiums for those with insurance are jumping by double digits each year.  Before 2000, New York’s State Insurance Department (SID) had the power to deny rate increase requests of 10% or more by health insurers and conducted public hearings on requests. The state law has since expired, and while health insurers still have to file their rates with SID today, they no longer need prior approval to raise rates. New York should reinstate the requirement that insurers get SID approval if they intend to raise rates for individual andsmall group health insurance by more than 5% and mandate public hearings forrate increases of more than 5%. 

Our 2008 Legislator Report Card is now available!  It is designed to show what level of action our State policymakers have been taking on health legislation: