Press release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Tracy Munford
(212) 614-5538 (office)
(646) 483-6804 (cell)

Health Insurance Is Low-Income New Yorkers Biggest Personal Worry According To Survey

Community Service Society to Present Poll Results and a Plan for Universal Health Insurance at Governor’s Last Public Hearing on Health Coverage

New York, NY, December 4, 2007 -- Families and individuals across the country want access to affordable health care. In New York, 2.5 million adults, including 415,000 children have no health insurance, leaving many New Yorkers, particularly those with low-income, delaying or postponing health care.

“Universal healthcare is long overdue, not just in New York but across the country,” said David R. Jones, president and CEO of CSS.

According to a recent Community Service Society (CSS) poll of more than 1,500 low and high wage earning New York City residents; it was revealed that the lack of affordable health insurance is the biggest worry for low-income New Yorkers. CSS Director of New York Healthcare Restructuring Initiatives Elisabeth Ryden Benjamin, MSPH, JD, will present the findings from the survey and the CSS Plan, entitled, Cornerstone for Coverage, tomorrow, Wednesday, at the Governor’s Partnership for Coverage public hearing in Old Westbury. The Plan is a universal healthcare plan for New York State that is affordable for working families.

Cornerstone for Coverage, would provide affordable, high quality and comprehensive health care to all New Yorkers. Ms. Benjamin said, “Our plan builds on the success of the popular and affordable Child Health Plus program and includes sliding scale premiums based on earnings and will be available to individuals, families, small and large employers and unions alike.”

According to CSS data, the number of uninsured New Yorkers statewide is up by 190,000 from 2005-2006. “While the number of uninsured people has grown in NYC, it has also grown on Long Island and other locations outside the city,” added Ms. Benjamin.

The CSS survey also finds that more than 9 out of 10 New Yorkers believe that affordable insurance should be a priority for the federal government.

Jones added, “New York historically has been a leader on national health policy from the SCHIP program, and Family Health Plus, to consumer protections to immigrant access to healthcare – these achievements are a strong foundation for universal coverage, particularly using the CSS model as the building block for the future of healthcare for New York.”

The CSS Cornerstone for Coverage Plan includes comprehensive benefits including in-patient and out-patient hospitalization, primary and preventive care, family cost-sharing and rates. The Plan also includes emergency services, prescription drugs, dental and vision, durable medical equipment, reproductive health services and behavioral health and substance abuse treatments.

In addition to the presentation on Wednesday, this Winter CSS will release its finding from a statewide poll of New Yorkers’ views on various health coverage proposals, which will include low-income residents from Long Island, upstate rural and urban counties and New York City residents.

Read the presentation: Cornerstone for Coverage: Towards a Universal Health Plan for New York (PDF)

CSS's "Cornerstone for Coverage" health proposal is partially funded through the generous support of The Nathan Cummings Foundation, The New York Community Trust, and United Hospital Fund.

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