HCFANY has sent a letter to Governor Paterson urging him to veto A.395/S6385, which would eliminate the anti-crowd out measures in the Healthy New York Statute. The letter explains HCFANY’s concerns in detail, but briefly, we urge this veto for three reasons:

1. The bill encourages small businesses that do not provide coverage and uninsured individuals to sign up for Healthy NY, which we believe has an inadequate benefit package.  It also encourages insured businesses and people to drop comprehensive coverage in exchange for Healthy NY.
2. The bill does not account for the fiscal and budgetary implications of expanding Healthy NY and we believe that our health dollars can be spent in a wiser fashion.
3. Any additional health insurance funding should be spent in the context of the broader Partnership For Coverage process, not in piecemeal efforts such as the one represented by this bill.

Click here for a full copy of the letter sent: Patterson Veto