Press release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Tracy Munford
(212) 614-5538 (office)
(646) 483-6804 (cell)
CSS Commends Governor Spitzer's State of the State Health Proposals
New York, NY, January 09, 2008 -- David R. Jones, President and CEO of the Community Service Society (CSS), commends Governor Spitzer's renewed commitment to provide affordable health insurance to all New York children in the face of the federal government's efforts to rebuff this important effort. "Governor Spitzer is showing that New York can be—and will be—a leader in the efforts to have states step into the health reform void left at the federal level." Jones continued, "This address reflects Governor Spitzer's promise to put patients first."
Today's State of the State address has several important health proposals that serve the interests of working poor New Yorkers. First, it pledges to make affordable health insurance available to all New York children and, second, it correctly prioritizes primary and preventative care reimbursement methodology for health providers.
"CSS research and polling in our Unheard Third Survey of more than 1,000 New Yorkers shows that New Yorkers care deeply about providing affordable healthcare for all," said Elisabeth Benjamin, CSS's Director Healthcare Restructuring Initiatives. "By pledging state funds to insure all New York's children, Governor Spitzer is taking a fundamental first step at making affordable healthcare for all a reality in New York."
In addition to expanding coverage and emphasizing primary care initiatives, the governor's address emphasizes the physician scarcity in medically underserved areas of New York by establishing a sorely needed medical "peace corps." The governor's address recommends passage of the Reproductive Health and Privacy and Paid Family Leave bills which protect women's health and caretaking needs. The State of the State also addresses chronic diseases through a series of important management initiatives.
The Community Service Society lauds the Spitzer administration's important steps to strengthen and improve New York State's health spending as outlined in this year's State of the State address.
For 160 years the Community Service Society of New York has been the leading voice on behalf of low income New Yorkers and continues to advocate for the economic security of the working poor in the nation's largest city.
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