OUT OF NETWORK PROVIDER ACCESS FOR PUBLIC EMPLOYEES, FAMILIES AND RETIREES ACROSS THE STATE WILL BE CUT BEGINNING JULY 1, 2023
TELL THE GOVERNOR, STATE SENATORS & ASSEMBLY MEMBERS TO GET BACK TO ALBANY AND PASS S. 5639/A. 7055 TO PROTECT PUBLIC EMPLOYEES AND RETIREES’ HEALTHCARE BENEFITS
Urge Governor Hochul and State Legislators to protect New York’s public workers and retirees from insurance companies that profit from disgraceful cuts to accessible, quality health care, that leaves patients without options
The Quality Care Council, an organization made up of patients and their providers stands with New York’s public workers and retirees, and not insurance companies that plan on gutting the health insurance coverage of government employees and retirees.
Last year, a deal was made between the Department of Civil Service and the Empire Plan/NYSHIP’s administrator, UnitedHealthcare, to remove out-of-network care providers from the plan’s benefits. One-point-two million enrollees and retirees were notified in May 2023 of these drastic changes, which will take effect on July 1, 2023.
That short time window left little time for public awareness, public engagement, or public debate on S.5639/A.7055, which would provide restoration of those hard-earned benefits for public workers and retirees. The bill, sponsored by Senator Robert Jackson and Assemblymember John T. McDonald is supported by dozens of their legislative colleagues, as well as by the Public Employee Conference (PEC), which represents more than 80-member unions and organizations – including 1.4 million New York State retirees.
Join us in urging our state leaders to immediately act on this bill.
The State Legislature must pass this legislation to fix it. The Governor must sign this bill into law to restore these cuts to care before July 1, 2023.
The State Assembly is set to return to Albany next week to finish debating and passing critical legislation.
We urgently ask the State Senate to also return to Albany with their State Assembly colleagues to finish the People’s work and include S.5639/A.7055 on the legislative agenda of things that MUST be done.
About The Quality Care Council
The Quality Care Council (QCC) is an organization made up of patients and their providers aimed at informing and educating citizens about their healthcare benefits. For patients, the convoluted healthcare industry can be intimidating, confusing, and frustrating. The goal of QCC is to ensure that patients and those who represent them in government know about important aspects of their healthcare, with the goal of maintaining access, quality, and affordability. https://qualitycarecommission.org/
