MEMORANDUM IN OPPOSITION
Bills: A.7128 ≠Tokasz/S.966 ≠ Farley
An act to amend the
Insurance Law, in relation to providing coverage for hospice care
under the Healthy New York program.
The Employer
Alliance for Affordable Health Care, a coalition of more than 1,500 New York employers committed to keeping
health insurance in New York affordable, supports a moratorium on all health
mandates. Mandates increase the cost of premiums and ultimately
the number of uninsured.
This proposal seeks to add coverage of hospice services to the Healthy New York
benefit package. We oppose this measure as being contrary to the intent of the
program.
The Employer
Alliance for Affordable Health Care is an enthusiastic supporter of the Healthy New York. The intent of the
program is to establish a product that is more affordable by utilizing
aggressive stop-loss subsidies in tandem with an elimination of certain mandated
benefits. Providing employers
greater choice in benefit package is critical to keeping people insured.
Unfortunately, because New York has more than 30 mandated benefits ≠ even a
≥stripped down≤ policy in New York includes a wide range of mandated benefits
that cost more than $1,000 per employee (family coverage) annually. Recently,
to address some of the shortcomings of the program, the Department of Insurance
promulgated
new regulations designed
to lower eligibility requirements and increase the stop-loss subsidy. This has
led to a steady increase in enrollment in the program.
Mandating a new benefit to
the Health New York package ≠ no matter how suitable - is counter to the intent
of this program. Adding mandated benefits to Healthy New York would ultimately
vitiate this worthwhile experiment that seeks to bring more affordable health
insurance to more New Yorkers.
Instead of advocating for
this legislation, the Employer Alliance seeks support for the elimination of other mandated
benefits to further help reduce the cost of this program and expand access.
We urge you to vote NO on
A.7128/S.966.
-30-
Employer Alliance For Affordable Health Care
PO Box 1412
Albany, New York 12201-1412
(518) 462-2296
employeralliance@yahoo.com
www.employeralliance.com
Scott Miller, Chairman
2/2004
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