Health insurance consumers will testify in Albany today before a panel of state officials and legislators about their personal experiences with a broken health care system, and make recommendations as to how to fix the system in order to deliver quality, affordable health care for all New Yorkers.

“Today’s hearing provides a snapshot of why New Yorkers desperately need health care reform.  Our current system just doesn’t work for millions of us,” said Mark Hannay, Director of the Metro New York Health Care for all Campaign.  “We look forward to proposals from Governor Paterson later this year that meet our standards for reform.”

The hearing will draw testimony from health care consumers from Buffalo, Long Island, New York City, the Capital District, the Hudson Valley, the Southern Tier, Rochester, and Central New York.   Their experiences include lack of coverage, inability to get coverage for critically needed services, excessive “out-of-pocket” costs, and disparities in coverage due to race and gender.

“Lobbyists representing Big Pharma and HMOs flood the halls of the Legislature day and night opposing fundamental reforms of our broken system.  This hearing is designed to make sure that for once, the experiences and views of average New Yorkers are heard in this debate,” said Jessica Wisneski, Campaigns Director of Citizen Action of New York and the Public Policy and Education Fund.

Read the full press release here: Release for People’s Public Hearing 5/28/08