Faith Leaders For The New York Health Act

The New York State Assembly and Senate

We are in the last weeks of the legislative session. The New York State Legislature must decide on whether they will pass the New York Health Act — guaranteed universal health care regardless of immigration, employment, race, income, health or other status — especially during a pandemic!

Our legislators now need to hear from faith leaders and members of faith communities across the state about why the New York Health Act is so important to our congregations and communities in the regions they serve in order to get the NY Health Act to a vote.

If you're a clergy person or faith leader,
please add your name and share with your colleagues!

To: The New York State Assembly and Senate
From: [Your Name]

As people of faith, we are tired of our parishioners and the residents of our neighborhoods, towns and regions having to do or experience the following:

1. Pay exorbitant costs for long-term care which lead to financial ruin and bankruptcy
2. Having people financially crushed because they either are underinsured with high deductibles, poor reimbursement and co-pays or cannot get insurance at all.
3. Poor and working class people paying too much of their income on rent and property taxes because of high medical costs for municipalities
4. No meaningful access to home care pushing our people into expensive nursing homes they can’t afford.
5. Congregations, nonprofits and small businesses unable to afford health insurance for their employees or paying such high premiums that wages for workers are diminished. Some must close because they can’t handle health costs.
6. High cost health insurance depresses the ability to bargain for better wages and benefits in both union and non-union work settings.

We are tired of bad insurance and high premiums which are a recipe for poverty, business, non-profit and even congregation closures and depressed wages. We want to pay for better healthcare provided by New York Health Act in the form of a tax which is in proportion to our incomes. We believe that the New York Health Act provides superior coverage to even the best private insurance. Together, we can build a better health care system which is truly accessible to all regardless of health, age or income.

We have waited long enough.
We must pass the NY Health Act this session!