Assemblymember Harry B. Bronson (D-Rochester/Chili/Henrietta) announced that he co-sponsored legislation, which passed today, that will ensure all New Yorkers, regardless of wealth, income, age or pre-existing condition, have comprehensive health coverage (A.4738-A). The measure, known as the New York Health Act, would establish a single-payer health insurance system within the state and eliminate out-of-pocket expenses.

“No one should ever have to choose between filling a prescription and filling their child’s plate,” Bronson said. “But as insurance costs continue to skyrocket, that’s the decision many hardworking families have to make. As Washington threatens to slash vital programs like Medicaid and Medicare, establishing a universal health care system here in New York is all the more important.”

Bronson has been a staunch advocate for the Assembly’s legislation, partnering with the nonprofit Campaign for New York Health to give Rochester families a strong voice in the fight to make it a reality.

The measure creates a single-payer system, known as New York Health, that would cover a full range of doctors and service providers, as well as comprehensive inpatient and outpatient care, primary and preventive care, maternity care, prescription drugs, laboratory testing, rehabilitative care and dental, vision and hearing care. Out of state health care would also be covered.

New York Health would be publicly funded based on a shared 80/20 employer/employee payroll contribution that would be progressive and based on the amount the employee is paid. In fact, the plan would help small businesses in Rochester save time and money by no longer requiring that they deal with the administration of health plans, Bronson noted. And since the plan eliminates the local share of Medicaid costs, homeowners would see significant property tax savings. New York Health would also save nearly $45 billion in the first year alone thanks to the reduced administrative costs, and 98 percent of households would pay less for coverage than they do now.1

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1. infoshare.org/main/Economic_Analysis_New_York_Health_Act_-_GFriedman_-_April_2015.pdf