Press Release
CSS Applauds New York State Legislature for Proposing Additional Funding for Community Health Advocates
The Community Service Society (CSS), a 175-year-old anti-poverty organization located in New York City, applauds the New York State Legislature for their commitment to strengthen the Community Health Advocates (CHA) program by supporting the Governor’s $2.5 million appropriation with an additional $2 million appropriation in their one-house budget proposals.
CHA helps 30,000 New Yorkers every year navigate the healthcare system and their insurance through a central live-answer, toll-free helpline and a network of 27 community-based organizations in all 62 counties of New York. The program has saved New Yorkers $35 million to date in health insurance and healthcare related costs.
CHA needs a total of $6.5 million to make sure this assistance gets to all New Yorkers in need of help. Despite the benefits that the Affordable Care Act has brought to New Yorkers in the form of better and more affordable health insurance coverage, New Yorkers still struggle to make sense of the complex healthcare system and make the most out of their insurance.
Thanks to the incredible leadership of Assembly members Richard N. Gottfried, Kevin Cahill, and Maritza Davila as well as Senators Liz Krueger, Gustavo Rivera, Neil Breslin, and Brian Kavanagh, CSS feels confident that as budget negotiations unfold the expansion of CHA will remain a top priority so that all New Yorkers can get help when they have a problem with their health insurance.