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Come and talk about New York State Health Act

To the editor:

A bill entitled the New York State Health Act, currently pending in the legislature, would provide no-cost coverage for every New Yorker with no out-of-pocket costs and no network restrictions. It is to be paid for through a progressive payroll tax and levies on non-earned income, such as capital gains.

The proposed legislation has many advantages. Offsetting the program’s taxes, New Yorkers would no longer have to pay insurance companies for premiums, which often run into thousands of dollars, and they would no longer be hit by deductibles and copayments. Businesses in the state would be freed from paying employee health care costs. The bill would increase efficiency and save money by ending the problems of dealing with many insurers, each with its own requirements, and by eliminating private insurance company profits. Insured individuals would have the freedom to chose their preferred providers without having to worry whether they were “in network.” The bill has passed the state Assembly three years in a row and needs only one more vote to obtain majority support in the Senate.

On Thursday, Jan. 18, a panel of experts will discuss this bill at Harrietstown Town Hall, 7 to 8:30 p.m. Admission is free.

Sincerely,

Claire Gilmore

Piercefield

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