Press Release
Leaders in the Field Discuss City-and Community-Based Solutions at Health Care Affordability Panel
New consumer-empowerment campaign to amplify patients’ voices to create real health policy change in New York is also launched
New York —Despite good news about jobs and national economic growth, rising health care costs have become an economic reality for both low-income and middle-class New York families. Bogus bills, medical debt, lack of access to quality care – are all issues that leave consumers with an unfair share of the bill, and in many instances, a ruined credit score.
A recent survey by Altarum Health Value Hub and co-released by the Community Service Society (CSS) underscores the looming health care affordability crisis. One of the biggest takeaways from the survey: the problem of health care affordability is greater (and getting worse) in New York City compared to the rest of the state.
The survey found that more than half (59 percent) of New York City residents had a health care burden over the last year compared to 45 percent in upstate, and 48 percent in Long Island. What does it mean to experience a health care burden and what does that look like for NYC residents? Of those uninsured, 54 percent stated the reason for their uninsured status was that coverage is too expensive; 50 percent of adults had cost barriers to accessing care (e.g. skipped a test, delayed care, skipped or cut pills); and 46 percent of adults struggle to pay medical bills (e.g. used up savings, gave up food or rent, in collections, credit card debt).
The data is clear. Addressing health care affordability needs to be a top priority in New York City. To that end, CSS today convened a panel of leaders in the health field to address the issue of affordability and recommend city-level solutions.
CSS also announced the launch of “We the Patients NY” -- a digital organizing effort to elevate the voices of patients to create real health policy change in New York. The purpose behind “We the Patients” is to harness the power of consumer dissatisfaction with the current health care system and channel it to promote action. The project, supported by the New York State Health Foundation (NYSHealth), will: create a digital space for patient dialogue; a space to share their stories on how the health care system failed them; to sign petitions to engage lawmakers and become patient advocates; and, to be trained in-person on grassroots organizing to go to City Hall and Albany to lead the policy change they want to see.
Today’s panel was moderated by David Sandman, Ph.D., President and CEO of NYSHealth. It featured City Councilmember Mark Levine, Chair of the Council’s Health Committee; Dr. Mitchell Katz, President and CEO of NYC Health +Hospitals; Rodrigo Sanchez-Camus, Director of Legal Services at Northern Manhattan Improvement Corporation (NMIC); and Elisabeth Benjamin, CSS Vice President of Health Initiatives.
“We urgently need to address health care affordability in New York City by providing adequate resources to our public health care providers and leveraging community based organizational assets so that our diverse communities get quality and affordable health care in the communities they live in without fear of medical debt and onerous out-of-pocket costs,” said Mark Levine, Health Committee Chair, NYC Council Member.
“At NYC Health + Hospitals we are committed to preserving the fundamental promise of our mission to care for all, without exception, and regardless of income, immigration or insurance status,” said Mitchell Katz, MD, and President and CEO of NYC Health + Hospitals. “The Mayor’s Guaranteed Health Care for All initiative to bolster our health plan MetroPlus and create NYC Care is the natural extension of this commitment. At its core are expanded services, resources, and navigation for those New Yorkers who have never had primary care before.”
“For far too long, patients have been relegated to the periphery of health and health care policy conversations,” said David Sandman, Ph.D., President and CEO of NYSHealth. “Individuals consumers often don’t have the resources, influence or networks to have their needs and preferences met. We the Patients NY will give consumers a powerful platform to make their voices heard.”
“As a Settlement House, NMIC serves low-income families and individuals with a range of education, career, social service, and legal needs,” said Rodrigo Sanchez-Camus, Director of Legal Services of NIMC. “One unifying issue faced by nearly all our clients is the lack of access to affordable healthcare and knowledge of how to effectively navigate the healthcare system. MCCAP is an essential program that provides low-income communities the assistance to better access and understand their healthcare coverage, stabilizing them in our communities and reducing emergency healthcare costs.”
“The latest healthcare affordability data confirms that the health industry has put its fiscal interests over those of the patients,” said Elisabeth R. Benjamin, CSS VP of Health Initiatives, “We the Patients NY is a bold new campaign that will elevate patients’ voices to ensure that the health care system is safer, fairer and cheaper for the people it is supposed to serve.”
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About the Community Service Society of New York
The Community Service Society of New York (CSS) is dedicated to bringing low- and moderate-income New Yorkers’ voices to the policy conversation. CSS believes quality, affordable health coverage is critical to securing equity for all New Yorkers.
About the New York State Health Foundation
The New York State Health Foundation (NYSHealth) is a private, statewide foundation dedicated to improving the health of all New Yorkers, especially the most vulnerable. Today, NYSHealth concentrates its work in two strategic priority areas: building healthy communities and empowering health care consumers. The Foundation is committed to making grants, informing health policy and practice, spreading effective programs to improve the health care system and the health of New Yorkers, serving as a neutral convener of health leaders across the State, and providing technical assistance to its grantees and partners. Find NYSHealth online at www.nyshealth.org and on Twitter at @nys_health.
About the NYC H+H
NYC Health + Hospitals is the largest public health care system in the nation serving more than a million New Yorkers annually in more than 70 patient care locations across the city’s five boroughs. A robust network of outpatient, neighborhood-based primary and specialty care centers anchors care coordination with the system’s trauma centers, nursing homes, post-acute care centers, home care agency, and MetroPlus health plan—all supported by 11 essential hospitals. Its diverse workforce of more than 42,000 employees is uniquely focused on empowering New Yorkers, without exception, to live the healthiest life possible. For more information, visit www.nychealthandhospitals.org and stay connected on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/NYCHealthandHospitals or Twitter at @NYCHealthSystem.
About the Northern Manhattan Improvement Corporation
Our mission is to serve as a catalyst for positive change in the lives of the people in our community on their paths to secure and prosperous futures.