AUDIO: NYSUT Exec. VP Alan Lubin discusses BALCONY health care initiatives on Air America Radio
In a recent interview on WWRL-AM 1600 Air America Radio in New York City, NYSUT Executive Vice President Alan Lubin talked to "All Things New York" host Rennie Bishop about the Business and Labor Coalition of New York (BALCONY) and the campaign for affordable health care.
- DOWNLOAD: MP3 Audio. 7.5 MB.
Learn more about BALCONY's health care initiatives - including reports on the coalition's recent forums on access to health care - at balconynewyork.com/healthcare.html.
For more information
- Business and Labor Coalition of New York: Health Care
- MP3 Audio courtesy Air America Radio (7.5 MB download)
- Lubin presents BALCONY's 7 principles for affordable health care
Principles for BALCONY Affordable Health Care Initiative
BALCONY agrees that action at the federal level is needed to fully address the problems with our health care system. Meanwhile, the states must do as much as possible to ensure that their residents have access to affordable, quality health care.
BALCONY offers the following principles as the basis for working with our members and other groups to develop specific proposals for New York State to adopt to address the current health care crisis. BALCONY is sensitive to the costs of our current health care system and the potential costs of addressing the problems with that system. However, we believe that through the more efficient use of our health care capability, more efficient administration, and improvements in the quality of health care, we can achieve significant cost savings to be able to afford the enactment of these important principles.
1. Universality. All New Yorkers should be covered through a health access program, with insurance of some kind. People with pre-existing conditions must not be denied coverage or discriminated against. Coverage should be considered a right.
2. Affordability. The insurance/access system must be affordable for businesses (large and small), public sector employers, unions, individuals and families. This means premiums, co-pays and deductibles that are reasonable, and based on ability to pay.
3. Administrative simplicity and transparency. The current system is plagued by costly and confusing barriers to enrollment, payment and basic care. These barriers impact patients, employers and providers. The system must be made easier to work with for all who interface with it.
4. Adequacy. Coverage must be adequate to care for people's needs, including primary and preventive care, as well as quality chronic and acute care coverage.
5. Efficiency. Savings must be achieved through more efficient use of resources, such as adoption of a system of electronic medical records, bulk drug purchasing, and reduction of waste.
6. Quality. Ensure and improve the quality of care at all levels of health care and for all recipients.
7. Eliminate disparities. Eliminate disparities in health care services and discriminatory health care practices.