Rochester Advocates Push for the New York Health Act
By Lowell Rose Rochester
UPDATED 10:31 PM ET Mar. 05, 2021 PUBLISHED 10:17 PM ET Mar. 05, 2021
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — After years of trying to get the New York Health Act passed in the state legislature, advocates are pushing again.
“Insurance should not be an issue between life or death, between having a limb or not having a limb, we have to fix this,” Rev. Myra Brown, pastor of Spiritus Christi Church.
The New York Health Act would give access to healthcare for all state residents, and a person’s income, health or immigration status would not be an issue. Coverage would also be based on income, rather than insurance company rates.
“I think this pandemic has really shown us how horrible it is to have healthcare tied to employment status,” Hannah Jackel-Dewhurst, a volunteer for Rochester for NY Health at Metro Justice.
Assemblymember Demond Meeks supports the measure, along with the Rochester City Council.
“Clearly government needs to step up, government needs to make sure pandemic or not, people are covered by healthcare,” said Rochester City Council Member Mitch Gruber.
Advocates point to health disparities, struggles within low income communities, and how the COVID-19 pandemic has made the situation worse.
“We have a responsibility to be a friend to the poor, to help the working class, to make sure that people have what they need, to be servants in this city and in this state, and we will accept nothing less but the passing of the New York Health Act,” said Rev. Brown.
If passed, funding for the act would come from revenue measures by the governor, and federal funds.
Watch video here: https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nys/rochester/healthcare/2021/03/06/rochester-advocates-push-for-the-new-york-health-act
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