Governor Cuomo gave his annual State of the State address yesterday, and we at HCFANY were generally pleased to see the inclusion of the state’s health benefit Exchange in the Governor’s progressive agenda.

Much of the speech focused on the state’s economic revitalization, and we believe that a consumer-friendly Exchange will do much to further economic growth in New York.  We know that the Exchange will lower health insurance costs significantly for consumers and small businesses, and that’s money in people’s pockets.  The added preventive care benefits provided by the Affordable Care Act will also help to lower health care spending for our state in the long run.

The Governor also said he wanted to restore New York to its “rightful place as the progressive capital of the nation” and that the forthcoming health benefit Exchange will help make our state’s health care system the “finest in the nation.”  We know that the Exchange will help more than one million uninsured New Yorkers afford health insurance coverage.  HCFANY will be working hard this year to make sure that implementation of the Exchange is as consumer-friendly as possible so that it may indeed be the finest in the nation!

HCFANY issued a short statement on the Governor’s State of the State address, which you can read by clicking here.

You can also read the Governor’s full State of the State book, which includes his prepared remarks as well as background information.