Slash-and-Burn or Big-and-Bold: How Should New York Address Health Care Needs During the Crisis?

This session is targeted for advocates and those with stronger policy backgrounds.

In the midst of the greatest public health crisis in a century, Governor Cuomo and the State Legislature recently adopted an annual budget containing significant cuts to Medicaid – harming health care institutions and patient care, particularly for the elderly, individuals with disabilities and those needing long-term care services.  Governor Cuomo is expected to shortly announce even more spending cuts under emergency budget powers granted him.  The State Legislature can reject any such moves and put forward their own alternatives (like raising new revenues), but they must act swiftly.

At the same time, Congressional leaders are putting forth their next proposed COVID-19 pandemic response bill.  It could provide desperately needed financial assistance to New York, all states and many localities to help them shore up health care and coverage systems, as well as provide affordable insurance options to the millions who are now uninsured.  However, it’s not at all clear that strong bipartisanship will prevail this time, nor that this new bill will do everything that urgently needs to be done quickly for everyday people in New York and across the US.

This webinar will inform you about what’s on the table in Albany and Washington, what’s the interplay between the two arenas, what’s at stake, what’s the legislative state-of-play, and what advocacy organizations and grassroots activists can do to make sure that lawmakers in each capital “do the right thing” on health care in ways that are mutually supportive.

Register for the webinar by clicking here.