States Moving Toward Comprehensive Health Care Reform
New York
Status of reform effort: The Partnership for Coverage
contracted with the Urban Institute to model four health reform proposals that
are expected to be presented during the Spring of 2009.On May 15, 2009, Governor Paterson announced
health reform legislation that builds on health care provisions in the
2009-2010 budget.
In July 2007, then Governor Eliot Spitzer (D) directed the
Health Commissioner and the Insurance Superintendent to initiate the “Partnership
For Coverage” to develop a comprehensive plan for universal health care in New York.The group was charged with studying the
obstacles to health care in the current system and to develop, evaluate, and
recommend a universal health care plan.The
Health Commissioner and the Insurance Superintendent solicited proposals and held
public hearings throughout the state to receive feedback from the public,
stakeholders, academic experts, and legislative representatives.New
York contracted with the Urban institute to model
four health reform proposals that are expected to be presented during the
Spring of 2009.
In
addition, in June 2007, then Governor Spitzer signed S06344, which
allows employers to buy into Family Health Plus.Previously, only parents with incomes below
150 percent of the federal poverty level and childless adults with incomes
below 100 percent of the federal poverty level could qualify for Family Health
Plus.Employers are required to pay at
least 70 percent of the premiums for their employees and the state will pay the
remainder of the cost.
On April
23, 2008, Governor Paterson (D) signed legislation that expands the Child
Health Plus program to 400 percent of the federal poverty level.New
York also allows children with family incomes above
400 percent of the federal poverty level to buy-in to the program at full cost.Implementation began on September 1, 2008.
The 2009-2010
enacted budget includes provisions to simplify the public coverage
enrollment process and authorizes the Department of Health to apply for a
federal waiver for funding to expand Family Health Plus coverage to all adults
with incomes below 200 percent FPL.In
March 2009, New York
submitted a request for a three-year extension of their Medicaid waiver to
continue and expand public coverage.Building
on health reform provisions in the budget, in May 2009, Governor Patterson
introduced health reform legislation.The legislation
includes the following components:
Expands COBRA coverage from 18 months to 36 months for people who lose their job;
Extends the age that dependent children can remain on their parent's health insurance to 29;
Requires the approval of health insurance rates by the Superintendent of Insurance.*
