Issue Position: HEALTH CARE

Issue Position

Brad helped organize the community's response to the closure of St. Vincent's Hospital. Working with elected officials, advocates and local health care providers, Brad led the West Side Community Health Needs Assessment that identified service needs and gaps in local health care delivery.

Brad is pleased that the U.S. Supreme Court has affirmed the federal Affordable Care Act, and he looks forward to working with the Cuomo administration to ensure its effective implementation in New York, including the establishment of a strong New York State Health Benefit Exchange through which individuals and small businesses can shop for quality, affordable coverage. Creating a financially self-sustaining health insurance exchange will create competition in New York's health care market and drive down costs. While the federal Affordable Care Act is an historic step, it still leaves insurance companies with too much control over premiums. New York State can and must do better.

Brad supports a universal, single payer health care system in New York State, like the one proposed in State Assembly Member Gottfried's New York State Health Plan legislation, which would ensure comprehensive health care coverage for all New Yorkers regardless of income. Under the plan (A.7860/S.5425), which Senator Duane has carried in the State Senate, publicly sponsored coverage would replace insurance company coverage, and premiums would be replaced by broad-based public financing. Health care is a right, and New Yorkers should not go without medically necessary services -- including primary, preventive and specialist care, reproductive, mental health, dental and vision care, hospitalization, prescription drug and medical supply costs -- for fear of how they will pay their medical bills.

Source